Before I knew
by Metwi
Summary: When Hannah finds out Paul's secret, she goes ballistic. She tries to ignore him and live her life without him, but she's driving herself insane. So she asks herself, what about before she knew? She had fallen in love then, so why would her love change?
1. Break Down

**My first fanfic. Woot-woot! I have been super excited to get this out here and now that it finally is, I am really nervous. **

**Please give this a chance! It really is an amazing story.**

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**Chapter 1- Break Down**

_Tap, tap, tap… tap, tap, tap._ My eyes wandered down to my pencil for a moment, a small smile creeping onto my lips as I realized I was the source of the tapping. I didn't really care. It was almost the end of another school day and everyone was talking loudly. No one ever paid much attention to me, but that's just perfect for me. Like my mother always says, "It's just peachy."

I was brought out of my reverie of thoughts by the tip of something sharp connecting with my flesh.

"OW!" I yelped a little too loudly. I shamefully noticed a few eyes glance in my direction, annoyed expressions accompanying them. My bangs flew out of my eyes as I whipped my head to the right to see what had caused this embarrassing moment. Of course, I should have guessed it instantly. Mandy.

A mischievous grin spread across my best friend's face as I'm sure she noticed my pink cheeks. _Stupid blush…_

"There are quieter ways to get a person's attention, Mandy, than stabbing them like they're a marshmallow," I practically hissed at her. Mandy shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, my scolding only making her smile widen.

"How was I supposed to know you would react so loudly?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, eyes wide, like an innocent child.

I narrowed my eyes at her and crossed my arms over my chest. Sometimes I wondered why I was still friends with Mandy. She was the complete opposite of me. She talked to any random person, was never afraid to speak her mind, and knew how to talk to guys. As for me…I'm pretty sure Mandy was my _only_ friend, I _never_ spoke up, and I couldn't even look a boy in the eye without blushing, so I dare not imagine what would happen if I spoke to one. I guess that was why I have never had a full conversation with any guy except for my dad and brothers.

"Hello? Hannah? Are you still here? Please don't ignore me. I'm sorry," Mandy pleaded with me, shaking my shoulder a little. Yup, this is why I loved Mandy. She kept me tied down to Earth. She was basically my anchor to the world. I could never thank my mother enough for forcing Mandy and I to play together every summer growing up when my family and I visited my moms parents, who had died a few years back, here. Even though we lived far apart, we became best friends faster than our mothers had expected. Thanks to my dad's new job though, we could see each other everyday now since we moved from sunny California to rainy La Push a few weeks ago, just in time for the start of senior year. We were inseparable. I was still getting used to the Quileute kids, but as long as I had a certain Quileute girl beside me, I think I could survive my last year of high school.

"Sorry Mandy. Its fine, I just wasn't paying attention to you."

Mandy scoffed playfully. "Well, that sure boosts my self-esteem."

I rolled my eyes at her and waved my hand quickly up and down. "Oh yeah Mandy, like you need it. Not only do you have personality, but the looks too. Its girls like you that make girls like me look like an ugly caterpillar being compared to a beautiful butterfly." As the words came out of my mouth, I couldn't help but realize just how true they were. When Mandy and I walked together, all eyes were on her. Every pair of eyes lingered on her tall, bronze and curvy, yet slender figure. Everyone noticed when she made a small flip of her long, black hair or a movement of her hand from her side to her hip. No one saw the awkward giant (me) beside her.

"Do you own a mirror Hannah?" Mandy's question broke into my thoughts.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Have you ever used it before? You know, to actually look at yourself?"

"Yes." _Unfortunately…_

"Then why the hell did you just compare yourself to a creature with more than two legs?" Mandy asked me incredulously.

I grimaced when I saw the look in her eyes. I had seen that look before. It was never a good sign for me. That determined, yet frustrated look. Oh how I wish she wasn't so stubborn.

"Well…," I tried to think of someway to say this without making her even more determined, "I'm not exactly what most would call the 'cream of the crop.'"

Mandy threw her hands up dramatically then grabbed me by the shoulders, rattling my tall frame. "You are so exasperating! I don't get you at all. Your not fat, you have amazing hair, and killer legs. And don't even get me started on your outrageously smooth stomach. I mean, come on Hannah, you need to _really_ look at yourself. Just because you don't look like everyone else here doesn't mean you're not beautiful. So what if you're lighter than the rest of us? You have the perfect skin tone in my opinion. It's not even that much of a difference; you're just really tan," she paused to take a breath and tuck a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, then held it gently in her hand. "You could pull off so many amazing looks with this hair! How many girls are blessed with glossy, auburn, hair that looks _good_ wavy? Do you know how jealous I am of your hair? You are just-."

_Triing, triing, tring._

The loud ringing sent a shock through my body that made me jump out of my seat, causing Mandy to pull back her hand and let it hang loosely at her side as she watched me jam all my books and supplies into my book bag and throw it over my shoulder. "Sorry, Mandy gotta run. I have to go take a test. See you tomorrow!" I called behind me, attempting to give her at least a semi-apologetic look. She saw right through my fake sincerity, but stayed back to pack up her books with a frustrated glare aimed at my retreating back framing her tanned face. I darted through the hallways, making my way to World History.

_Only one more hour_. I repeated the mantra to myself. _One more hour, one more hour..._

_--_

"I'm going to my room!" I yelled down the stairs as I took them two at a time.

The History test had actually passed by quicker than I had expected, the end of school bell reminding me I was free from this prison for the rest of the day. After that, I only had to wait for five minutes before my mom's rusty red truck appeared in the school parking lot. Now I could finally forget about school and focus on my books and my music; the two things that I could never live without.

I plopped myself down on my bed, snatching up my battered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and my blue IPod from my nightstand. I tore my once new raincoat off of my body and flung it across the room onto my dresser top. What can I say? I'm a true slob.

I had just pressed the play button when a knocking sound came from my door. "Come in," I sighed while laying my book down on the bed and pulling the headphones from my ears.

My mom's wide smile and bright green eyes peeked into my room. In a blur of movement, she swung the door wide open, revealing her slim, tiny form. "Hi honey. I was just hoping we could go to the store together?" She turned the statement into a hopeful question, probably part of her 'make-Hannah-feel-guilty' plan.

"I can go on my own if you'd like, Mom. I don't mind." Ever since I had received my Driver's License last year, my parents always had me driving around doing a few errands. I never complained, though, since it gave me a bit of alone time.

My mom chewed on her full bottom lip, a habit I had picked up from her. "Well, I don't know…" I could practically hear the clicking in my head as the gears in my brain fell into place. I knew what this was about. It had started on my last day of school as a junior back in California. She thought she was losing me. I had told my parents I planned on staying in a dorm during college earlier that year, like my older brother. I hadn't really had much of a reaction from them until they realized I only had one more year of high school and then I was off to live on my own. For the past five months, which included my entire summer break, my parents have been trying to spend 'quality time' with me. I would have to think of something fast or I'd be stuck in the small store with my gossiping mother. Alone. I successfully repressed the shudder that was about to rip through my body.

"Don't worry Mom. We can all go to that new Italian restaurant in Port Angeles this Saturday only two days away. So what do you need from the store?" I reassured her with a hopefully not to eager smile plastered on my face. She smiled back at me hesitantly, but left my room to write her shopping list.

I thrust myself up from my bed and scurried into the bathroom down the hall, sneaking a swift glance at myself in the mirror while I waited for my mom to finish the list. A slightly baggy, green t-shirt hung from my shoulders while a pair of faded blue jeans enclosed my tan legs. I winced as I saw my untidy auburn hair hanging an inch off my shoulders. My hand reached up and tired to pat it down, but failed miserably. I pulled one of the numerous hair ties that I carried around with me at all times from my jeans and tied the ginger colored rats' nest consisting of my hair into a half-decent excuse of a ponytail. With a loud, resigned sigh I dragged myself out of the bathroom, slowly making my way down the staircase.

A few minutes later I was driving the truck down the long empty road to our small convenience store a few miles away. I took it easy on the red beast; it was a senior citizen after all. A lively, upbeat song came on the radio, making my hand instinctively reach for the volume control and turn it up a few notches louder. I hummed along and tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, bobbing my head to the beat.

The car suddenly began shuddering; increasing with each foot I drove. _Crap. _I was still a mile away from the store. _What the heck am I supposed to do now?_ A thought popped into my head and calmed my building panic attack. If I remembered correctly, there was an auto shop near here, just around the clump of trees ahead of me. I silently prayed the truck would make it until we reached the shop as it continued its spastic quivering down the road. _Yes!_ There it was. I exhaled the breath I hadn't even noticed I was holding as a sign with the title, **The Auto Hounds**, came into view and the old brick building rapidly approached.

I steered the truck into the small parking lot, grabbing the keys from the ignition as soon as the parking brake was up. The violent trembling stopped instantly, but now a wisp of black smoke was escaping from under the hood, along with the strong scent of something being burnt. I scrambled out of the truck, slamming the door behind me and practically running away from my psychotic vehicle.

"Hi there, can I help you?" a deep rumble spoke up from behind me.

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**I know, I know, I hate cliffhangers too, but I couldn't help it. **

**Review, review, review! I'd like to get some opinions on my writing.**

**--Mary**


	2. Brown meeting Gray

**First, I would like to thank my beta, LuvLikeJesus29! She has put just as much of her time into this as I have, maybe even more. Thanks!**

**Sooo? What's everyone thinking so far? Good, bad, horrible? **

**I really like this chapter so I hope everyone else does too :)**

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_Last time:_

_I steered the truck into the small parking lot, grabbing the keys from the ignition as soon as the parking brake was up. The violent trembling stopped instantly, but now a wisp of black smoke was escaping from under the hood, along with the strong scent of something being burnt. I scrambled out of the truck, slamming the door behind me and practically running away from my psychotic vehicle._

_"Hi there, can I help you?" a deep rumble spoke up from behind me._

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**Chapter 2- Brown Meeting Gray**

I whipped around, sucking in a breath so sharply that it stung my throat and took a step away from the voice. A tall, no, _gigantic_ boy-although that was an enormous understatement- stood at the entrance of the garage, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. His smile was one of amusement as he gauged my frightened expression, leaning against the door frame. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

I gulped loudly, tucking my bangs behind my ear and out of my eyes.

"Y-you didn't. You j-j-just surprised me," I clutched my throat, shocked and upset that the stutter that had disappeared five years ago was suddenly back.

The boy chuckled, walking out of the shaded garage and making his way to my truck. He was extremely tall and muscular. His broad shoulders swayed with each step he took, which weren't very many thanks to his long legs. I couldn't help but admire his glowing russet skin. He ran his large hand through his short cropped raven colored hair, disheveling it up a little. He seemed so at ease and relaxed, as if I was a childhood friend that had stopped by for a visit. So why was I so intimidated? (It might have a tiny bit to do with the guns that made up his biceps.)

"Oh man. What did you do to this poor girl? She looks like she went to hell and back twice!" he laughed, scrutinizing the truck from every angle. I laughed quietly with him, though not for the same reason. He had referred to my truck as a 'she'; it was always so humorous to listen to men talk about cars as if they were real people.

"It's not my fault my truck's bipolar. It was fine when I left my house, but then it started shaking for no reason, like it was going to break down any second," I defended, proud of myself for not stuttering again.

The boy laughed loudly, though it sounded more like a rumble of thunder than a natural human noise. "I guess it isn't your fault then," he said in between some deep chuckles. Sticking his dirty hand in front of my face (yes, I really was that short compared to him) he said, "Quil Ateara. Who are you?"

I tentatively shook his hand. _Sweet mother of Jesus!_ His hand was easily double the size of mine, covering from my fingertips to my wrist. I thought for a second my hand was going to fall off from the lack of blood circulation due to his tight grip. And the _heat_! It was enough to almost make me break out in a sweat. He shook my hand up and down three times then let it go, crossing his arms, looking at me expectantly, waiting patiently.

"Oh, my name's Hannah Berkeley, and yes, like the college. Nice to meet you, Quil," I said quickly as I stuck my own hands into the back pocket of my jeans.

"So, Hannah, I'm going to take a wild guess and say you need us to fix this old lady for you?"

"Wow. Good with cars and a psychic. You should open up a psychic shop right next to the garage. You'd get all kinds of new customers," I played along, happy that I had made a friend in Quil and his relaxed demeanor.

He laughed again and slapped his knee. "All right, you win. We'll get started on your truck right away. Come on inside."

I took a few steps forward, but Quil stopped me almost instantly. He held his hand out, palm facing up, and raised an eyebrow at me.

"Oh right, sorry."

I dropped the keys into his outstretched palm, realizing what he wanted, and started walking towards the garage again. I stopped right before entering, looking around the messy workshop. No sign of anyone else in here, I noted as I stepped in. I sighed and sat down on a stool beside a cluttered tool rack.

"What the hell took you so long Quil? Was it Claire? Couldn't you just wait another two hours to mess around with her?" a voice growled from my left. I jumped up, looking around the supposedly empty room, leaning forward to peek around the rack beside my head. "What? Did I hurt your feelings Quil? You're not just going to ignore me are you?" the gruff voice commanded.

I opened my mouth to reply when a dark shape appeared from behind a stack of tires a few feet away from me. "Oops, sorry. I didn't know we had company," the boy said sheepishly as he looked down, rubbing the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed. A clanking noise stopped me from replying, signaling the entrance of my truck. Quil parked the shaking truck in an empty space ahead of me and hopped out of the driver's seat. "How can you stand to drive this thing? Oh, hey Jake, I see you've met Hannah." He grinned at Jake, who was glaring back at Quil. "Thanks for the warning Quil," Jake muttered.

As Jake went over to Quil to complain quietly, I noticed how much they looked alike. Jake was rather large too, though Quil was still broader in the shoulders. Jake had the same russet skin and cropped black hair, however he was covered in grease and dirt. It seemed as if Jake's hair was slightly longer and shaggier than Quils', but only by an inch or two.

"Are you guys brothers?" I blurted out before I could stop myself. I felt my cheeks warm up as they both stopped arguing and gawked at me. "Sorry, i-it's just you b-both sort of look a-a-alike," I stuttered softly, hiding behind my short auburn curtain of hair as I stared down at my feet. There was a short silence lasting all of two seconds before an ear-splitting roar of what I assumed was laughter filled the garage. I gazed up through my squinted eyes with my hands pressed hard against my ears to see Quil and Jake bent over, clutching their sides.

"No, thank God! I wouldn't be able to survive two days living with this fool!" Jake answered between fits of laughter. This statement only made Quils' laughter deepen, his fingers digging into his sides. A few minutes passed of their hysterical cackling, during which my cheeks had turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Ok Jake, let's fix her truck up for her," Quil gasped, breathing heavily as he tried to fill his lungs with air again.

They began tinkering with the truck, popping the hood and rolling under it while occasionally mumbling a few things to me about a dirty transmission and an oil change. I, of course, had no idea what they were talking about, so I told them to do whatever would make the truck less hazardous to my life.

I was idiotically twiddling my thumbs as I watched the two boys work on my truck, when the pitter-patter of a small pair of feet brought my attention to the building entrance.

"Quil!" a high girly voice echoed in the garage.

Quil's head jerked up and a beaming smile transformed his work ridden face into one of pure love. A petite teenage girl, possibly my age, but no older, came dancing into view as Quil stood and cleaned his face and hands rapidly. The girl leapt into his long arms, meeting with his squeezing embrace. I wondered vaguely how the girl, who looked shorter than my 5'8" figure, had reached all the way to Quils' shoulders, which weren't even to my eye level, until I saw her feet dangling about a foot off the ground.

Jake cleared his throat much loudly. "Ok guys, get a room or even the woods would do," he smirked teasingly. The girl pulled away from Quil and glared at Jake to the best of her ability. Then she grinned mischievously at him and turned back to Quil, throwing herself back into his arms and crushing her lips against his in a passionate kiss.

Jake made loud gagging noises and went back to work on the truck. When the girl finally came up for air, she released herself from Quils' tight hold and skipped to Jake. "Don't be jealous, Jacob Black." Jacob grunted from under the truck's hood. "I'm not. I already have my own," he retaliated. Quil, who seemed to have just recovered from this surprising, yet pleasant assault, coughed and took two long strides to where the other two were standing. "Uh, Claire, we have a customer here." _Did he just remember about me?_

The girl turned around and faced me. Her features resembled those of an angel with her innocent smile and glowing brown eyes. Her long dark hair was tied in a high ponytail, showing off her flawless brown skin. She walked right in front of me and grabbed my right hand, shaking it in her loose, but friendly grip. "Hi, I'm Claire. These two aren't bothering you, are they?" she asked, giving Quil and Jake a reproachful glance.

"No, no. Actually they've been doing the complete opposite. I'd be stuck on the side of the road right now if it wasn't for them," I replied with a tentative smile. I was shocked at how easily I talked to her, felt comfortable in her presence, just like it had been with Quil and Jake. I hadn't even hesitated to answer her. She grinned at me and scurried back to Quil. He grabbed her tiny hand in his and pulled her close to him. She wriggled in his arms until she was facing me again. "You look about my age. Do you go to the high school, um...?"

"Hannah," I provided for her, "and yes I do. I'm a senior."

"Hannah. Beautiful name," she giggled as Quil rested his head on hers. "I'm a junior at the school, but I've never seen you around."

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing," Jake's voice piped up from under the hood of my truck. Quil remained contentedly silent as he gazed adoringly at Claire, who positively glowed under the intensity of his eyes.

"That's probably because I just moved down here a few weeks ago from California."

"Oh, no wonder you're so gorgeous! I love your tan, it's real." At that point, I was pretty sure my cheeks looked more like shiny, red apples than human flesh, but Claire paid me no mind. "Maybe we could sit together at lunch sometime," she suggested, turning around to elbow Quil softly as he tried to kiss her neck.

"Hey you! Save your appetite for later. Paul's bringing sandwiches from Aunt Emily."

Quil and Jake, who was now leaning against the hood of my truck, both widened their eyes, and were practically drooling at the mention of food.

"Hey pups! I brought food!" a husky voice howled from outside.

"Speak of the devil," Claire muttered, frowning as Quil let go of her to get some food.

"Damn guys! At least let me get inside!" the unknown voice shouted, caught off guard; Jacob and Quil had both raced outside to meet the voice, who I'm guessing was Paul, due to Claire's earlier statement, who had just arrived with their sandwiches. Claire flitted to my side, leaning in to whisper in my ear softly, "Don't get intimidated by Paul, ok? He can be very rude sometimes." I nodded slowly to let her know I had heard and understood her, though I was sure I would still cower under this Paul character.

I gawked at Jake and Quil as they reentered the garage, each carrying two plastic bags filled with their precious sandwiches to the very top. _How many sandwiches can two guys eat?_

A third man walked in, a couple of steps behind the other two, holding a bag in one hand and dusting himself off with the other. He scowled down at his dusty jeans, grumbling under his breath.

_Did all the Quileute men look alike?_ The man, who could only be Paul, had radiating brown skin, topped off with cropped hair as dark as night. His muscles rippled under his fitting t-shirt. I had always thought I was quite tall, but Paul looked as if he could be a foot taller than me. My gaze drifted all the way up to his face, past his full lips and strong jaw line, lingering on his chocolate colored eyes. They were entrancing, mesmerizing, and luminous all at once, even from under his scowl.

"I would have brought the food in here myself. You didn't have to go and tackle me, idiots," Paul said to them, clearly ticked off.

Jake snickered while Quil dug into one of the bags hungrily, resembling a starving dog as he threw a couple of sandwiches onto the desk. Paul muttered a few curses at them. Claire straightened up from her leaning stance next to me, clapping her hands loudly. "Watch your language, Paul! You don't want to scare off Hannah."

Paul spun on the spot, turning to walk our way. He opened his mouth to give a rebuttal, but then he saw me.

He didn't seem to be paying attention to his feet since he continued walking right into the path of a watermelon-sized tool box. Before Claire or I could warn him, his shoe caught under the latch of the box, stopping his foot from advancing, as the rest of his body started to fall. As his face was quickly approaching the floor, his long toned arms shot out in a blur, slamming against the floor just in time to prevent his face from coming in contact with the ground. He kicked his foot free from the latch, causing the tool box to overturn, and thrust his body up from its' push-up position. I gaped. All of this had happened in a matter of seconds, barely enough time for me to even realize he was falling, and yet there he stood, perfectly unscathed. My eyes traveled from his feet up his torso, stopping when I met his frowning eyes. Our gazes locked, brown meeting gray.

Paul stared at me, causing my awful blush to rise again. The red in my cheeks intensified with each second that Paul's eyes were locked on me. Various emotions flashed across his face, ranging from awe to confusion to sadness before they vanished and were replaced by a look of determination. I could only wonder what was going on inside his mind.

I was aware of Claire, Jake, and Quil staring at us, their heads turning from side to side, looking at Paul first, then me, then Paul again. Jacob mumbled something unintelligible, watching Paul in disbelief. My slow mind barely registered Quil and Jake grabbing handfuls of Paul's shirt before pulling him away, sprinting out the garage with a stumbling Paul in between them.

Still dazed from the whole scene, I reluctantly turned my head to look at Claire. She hastily dropped her eyes, wiping away the frown that had been glued to her face.

"Claire," I said, trying with much difficulty to keep my voice from turning into a squeak, "What just happened?"

Claire ran her fingers through her hair nervously, refusing to raise her eyes from the apparently very interesting cement floor. "I don't know. I told you Paul's rude."

I scooted off the stool, looking down at Claire's 5'4" figure as I stood in front of her. I watched her fidget under my stare, frowning when she wouldn't meet my gaze. Claire finally noticed my towering presence, taking a step back and glaring at me. "What?"

I deepened my furrowed eyebrows, using my temporarily bold moment before I lost it. "Don't lie to me Claire. Something happened just now, right? Why else would Quil and Jacob have dragged Paul out of here?"

Before Claire could give me an answer, the shuffling of feet in the parking lot terminated my interrogation. I heard Claire let out a sigh of relief as she pressed her hand against her frantic heart.

The guys walked in then, first Jacob, with Quil close behind, and Paul last. Their hair was tousled, lying lazily out of place. I thought Paul's clothes looked even dustier than before, but I pushed the thought away, assuming it was just my imagination.

Paul was watching me while he walked in, oblivious to the noticeable stares the others gave him. My eyes met his for the briefest of moments before I shifted them back to look at my hands. I instantly knew my boldness had vanished, replaced instead with a crimson blush.

"Hannah, we're going to need to keep your truck here overnight. She doesn't look like she can make it very far in this condition," Jake's deep voice broke into my personal bubble.

All I could manage was a timid nod in understanding.

Claire spoke up then, "Do you need a ride home?"

_Oh, right._ "No thanks, I still need to go to the store first. My mom's already going to lecture me for letting the truck break down; I won't survive the night if I don't at least bring home the groceries. I can walk since it's only a mile away."

"I can take you to the store, and then give you a ride home."

I was so unprepared for the suggestion this time that I flinched into the stool behind me. Paul had spoken to me, not only that, but he had just offered to escort me to the store and home. I composed my face and looked up warily at Paul. He was smiling shyly, looking hopeful, but hesitant at the same time.

"Um, sure. Thanks," I mumbled, my hand gripping the stool that was biting into my back to keep me upright.

Claire grabbed my wrist and pulled me behind her, walking towards the door. "I'm coming with you," she stated in a tone that left no room for arguing. She let go of my wrist for two seconds while she dashed to Quil's side and pecked him on the lips quickly. He hugged her tightly and bent down to whisper something in her ear. She nodded and returned to my side, wrenching me out of my frozen spot and out of the garage. Paul followed behind us, shooting daggers at Claire's back with his beautiful brown eyes. I heard a growl in the garage, but refused to turn my head for fear of meeting Paul's gaze.

Two vehicles were parked in the lot, one a tiny faded blue car and the other a black truck. Claire led me to the truck, walking around to the passenger side. Paul was opening the driver's side door when Claire and I reached the passenger door. "Claire, what about your car? Are you just going to leave it here?" Paul questioned. He didn't sound like he cared about the car, though, more like he wanted to get rid of her.

"No need to worry, Paul, Quil's taking it home for me," She grinned knowingly, seeing through his fake concern. Paul shrugged indifferently and slid into the truck. I hesitated at the door, wondering if I should get in first, which would force me to sit next to Paul, or let Claire sit beside him. Claire cleared up my confusion by stepping aside to let me in first. My breathing became uneven as I slid across the seat, inching my way closer to the already seated Paul, his eyes never leaving my slithering body. Claire climbed in behind me, slamming the door shut with some effort.

Sitting next to Paul, his body mere inches away from mine, my body was reacting in ways foreign to me. I folded my hands in my lap, doing everything possible to keep from touching him. He reached for the ignition, touching my arm just slightly. I shuddered, not just from his burning skin, but also from the shock that crackled where his forearm had brushed against mine. I stared at my arm with wide eyes, glancing up to see Paul looking strangely from his arm to mine. Claire cleared her throat, receiving an annoyed sigh from Paul as he tore his gaze our arms and started up the car.

The drive to the store was filled with Claire's chattering, an occasional word from me, and deep grunts or scoffs from Paul. We pulled into the ten car parking lot, three spots already taken. Claire literally jumped out while I fumbled with the seat belt around my waist. My eyebrows furrowed as my every attempt to release the latch failed. "Here, let me help you," a deep voice from my left said, more of a statement than a suggestion.

Paul took the seat buckle in his huge hands, pushing two of his fingers in between the belt and my waist. His hand lingered a little longer than necessary against my waist, causing me to hold my breath until he squeezed a button on the buckle and flung the seat belt away from me.

"T-t-thank you," I stuttered, unable to keep my voice from sounding like a squeal and my breathing even. He met my eyes and flashed me a toothy smile. I exhaled a shaky breath and threw myself out the door, slamming it shut behind me. I closed my eyes, taking a few deep breaths to calm my feverishly beating heart. Claire raised a questioning eyebrow, but I simply walked passed her, ignoring the unwanted question, and into the store, having already been humiliated enough to last a week. I didn't check to see if Paul and Claire followed behind me, not really caring.

I wandered from aisle to aisle, picking out a few things here and there. Pretty soon, though, both my small hands were filled with groceries before I had even finished half of the list. _Why didn't I get a basket?_ I groaned as I tried to think of a way to make it to the door without dropping anything.

"It would be a whole lot easier if you used a basket, you know," Paul's gruff voice called from behind me. I turned my head to look over my shoulder, relieved to see Paul a foot behind me with a basket in his hands. He stepped around me and placed the basket directly beneath my arms, motioning for me to drop the items in. When my arms were finally empty I found enough courage to smile at Paul. He looked surprised by this gesture, but grinned back ecstatically, eyes sparkling like chocolate stars.

I finished the rest of the list hurriedly with Paul always a step behind me. He seemed disappointed when I was able to reach up to the highest shelves and grab what I needed. "It's too bad you're so tall," he said with a sigh.

I stared at him with an incredulous expression. "The pot calling the kettle black," I mumbled, sweeping my eyes suggestively from his toes to his forehead above me, "How tall are _you_ exactly?"

He laughed smoothly, shifting the basket from one arm to the other. "6'5", but I didn't mean it that way though. I'm just used to helping people get things down from the top shelves. I wanted to help you, that's all."

_Oh no, stupid blush! _I turned away from him, trying not to concentrate on my flaming cheeks, and shuffled to the cash register.

As the cashier finished scanning my groceries, I had pulled my wallet out of my back pocket when I saw a flash of brown fly above my shoulder to the counter, disappearing almost as quickly as it had come. I blinked and heard the beep of the cash register. I gazed up at Paul, who stood as if nothing had happened at all. He nodded curtly to the cashier and pushed me gently on my back towards the door before I could question him, so I just decided to leave it alone. I tensed at the heat on my backside and felt Paul drop his hand automatically.

We walked to his truck and Paul placed the bags inside. "Wait. Where's Claire? We can't just leave her," I asked, realizing the little chatterbox wasn't with us. I looked toward the store, half-hoping that she would burst out of the doors.

Paul cleared his throat and frowned at my question. "Um, Claire has another ride home," He said, almost with … envy, nodding his head behind me.

I turned slowly, blushing when I saw Claire. She was in her tiny blue car with Quil in the driver's seat, a little preoccupied at the moment.

I pulled myself into Paul's truck, much more embarrassed about watching Claire than sitting with Paul by myself. Paul laughed softly, stepping into the truck after me. "You got lucky this time. They usually put on a much more… _absorbing_ show."

He pulled out of the parking lot, slowing down when we passed Claire's car. She had her head poking out the window, waving us a goodbye. I couldn't help but smile as I waved back at her, leaning back into my seat as we sped away towards my home.

I gave Paul the simple directions to my house, which he followed with ease, driving in silence. I chanced a quick glance at him. He was watching the road intently, not entirely concentrating on driving. His wrinkled forehead gave the impression that he was thinking very hard about something.

We arrived at my house almost too early. I had enjoyed watching Paul's face as the various emotions played across it, as he continued going over his thoughts. It was quite comical actually, but I hadn't dared to laugh out loud.

"Thanks for the ride. I don't think it would have been very… _pleasant_ riding with Claire and Quil," I joked, my courage building from the fact that he had paid very little attention to me during the drive.

He half-smiled at me and I felt his eyes penetrating my back as I closed the truck door behind me with my shoulder, seeing as how both my arms were full of groceries, and even as I walked up the sidewalk of my house, to the front door.

"Hannah, wait a minute," Paul's voice called from behind me.

I set the heavy bag of groceries down on the first step, frowning as Paul got out of his truck and jogged over to where I was standing.

"Did I forget something?" I asked, replaying the drive in my head, trying to remember if either of the bags had tipped over at all, leaving any of my dear groceries in Paul's truck.

"No, no. It's not that," he stopped, kicking his foot in the brown clay-like dirt that made up my front lawn. I couldn't believe it. Paul was acting like he was … _flustered._ He looked up, however, with a determined glint in his eyes, his chin set, and his eyebrows knitted together.

"Hannah, would you like to go out with me this weekend?" He had spoken so fast it was miracle I had caught any of the words, though I'm sure I had heard him wrong.

_Huh?_ "What?"

"Will you go out with me?" he asked again, this time a lot more nervous, his eyes betraying his fear whereas his voice hadn't wavered, afraid I might reject him. But I wasn't going to. I don't know why, but I wanted to get to know Paul better, despite what Claire had said about him. Maybe it was the way he had looked so deeply into my eyes, as if he was searching my soul, our gazes locked in something so intense I couldn't fully comprehend it. Maybe it was how he had been so eager to help me while I was shopping. Or maybe it was the way he had paid for the groceries so simply, as if it were nothing, trying not to make a big deal out of it. OR maybe it was just the way I could lose myself staring at his beautiful face like I had in the car, like I was now…

"Yes," I answered quickly, afraid he might take back the offer if I didn't answer fast enough. "Oh wait, I can't. I already have plans this Saturday. I'm sorry," I apologized, truly regretful, as I remembered my plans with my mother. _Dang parental fears…_

"What about Sunday?" he asked just as hopeful, not backing down

"Sure, I don't have any plans. What time?" I smiled shyly at him, tilting my head up so I could see if he was for real, or if he was going to break out laughing in a second.

He beamed down at me, all embarrassment gone. "Is six o'clock ok?"

"Yes, six o'clock works out perfectly," I said, this time smiling just as big as he was.

"All right then. I'll see you at six sharp on Sunday." He paused then, looking like he was debating in his mind whether or not to do something else. He must have decided against it because he began jogging back to his truck.

"Paul, wait a minute," I called after him. He skidded to a quick stop in front of his truck and turned toward me. "Where are we going?"

Paul's full lips widened into a crooked grin while he tilted his head to the side a bit. "It's a surprise," he said with a wink which sent the butterflies in my stomach into a frenzy. He walked backwards to his truck slowly, keeping his eyes locked with mine. He jumped inside his truck when he was beside the door, starting it up and backing out of the driveway with one final wave at me. Just before he disappeared around the corner of my street, I saw his head fall back, his shoulders shaking up and down.

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**Isn't he adorable?**

**Review, review please!**


	3. Mandy always knows

**Ok, first off, my beta, LuvLikeJesus29 would just like everyone to know that we are super, super, super sorry about the long wait for the update. We both had a busy week with school crap so neither of us really had much time to work on the story. Her quote, "Tell everyone I'm really sorry!"**

**Also, this is sort of a filler chapter, but then again it isn't. It's meant to take up space until Sunday, but it also gives a bit more on Mandy's character. I didn't just want her to be a friend that pretty much dissapears after the first chapter :)**

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**Chapter 3- Mandy Always Knows**

The rest of my evening passed by dully, not any different than any other Thursday night, though my mind was occupied by a whole new subject. My thoughts never strayed far from the fact that I would be seeing Paul again in a few days. Three to be exact.

As I had guessed, my mother lectured me about letting her truck breakdown. She ended her rant by telling me she was going to get me a cell phone for emergencies like the one that happened today. I wondered briefly if Paul had a cell phone.

I went to bed early that night, silently hoping it would make the sun rise faster. It seemed to have worked because before I knew it, I was in the school parking lot waving goodbye to my mother as she sped away from the school.

As soon as I had my locker door opened, Mandy was at my side, watching me silently for a few seconds as I tried to shove all my notebooks, textbooks, and binders into my locker before speaking. "How do feel about going fishing this weekend, Hannah?"

I stopped shoving my Chemistry book into the already crammed locker. "What? Since when do you care how I feel about _fishing_? Don't you hate it?" I asked incredulously, surprised by Mandy's question. I was the nature girl in our friendship, the one who went on frequent hikes and picnics with the family, while Mandy was the high-maintenance girl, never wanting to be too far from her curling iron. Never in my life would I have imagined _her_ asking _me_ to go anywhere that would include trees and involve those pesky little bloodsuckers she detested so much, who were really just mosquitoes.

Mandy seemed to have read my thoughts. "I don't _want_ to go. My dad's insisting that the whole family go with him on a fishing trip this Sunday. I think he wants us to bond or something stupid like that. I'm guessing its cause' he feels so guilty about being gone so often," Mandy said referring to her father's job as a pilot, making it difficult for him to spend time with his family since he had to travel all over the world. "I begged not to be tortured this way; what's wrong with the usually 'embarrassing dinner with family in public' deal, I asked? But he wouldn't crack, not even under my best pout. So I thought that if I was going to have to suffer I might as well take you to keep me sane while we're in the middle of nowhere."

"But, Mandy, if it's supposed to be a family bonding thing, then shouldn't it just be your family?" I asked, pointing out the obvious, also wanting to avoid the inevitable for as long as I could.

"Yeah, maybe for most families, but you spend more time with my family than my dad does, so you pretty much count. Besides, you know how much I _abhor_ anything that has to do with nature. Don't you want to come and make sure I make it back in one piece?" she questioned, unveiling the power of her pout on me, only she didn't have to take it to the highest level to make me break.

Up until this point, I had been putting the things I wouldn't need for the day into my locker, and taking out the supplies that were needed into my backpack. But by the time Mandy's pleading had concluded, I had nothing left to do but turn back around and face her, exposing myself to her lure. I tried to make my voice sound as apologetic as I could, though I wasn't sorry at all (except for Mandy), and forced myself not to fall prey to her bait as I explained to her why it was absolutely not possible for me to go with her on Sunday.

"I'm pretty sure your dad won't let anything happen to you, Mandy. And I know for a fact that you will make it back in one piece, it's a fishing trip, not mountain climbing. The worst that could happen would be that you fall into the lake, so I'd advise you not to curl your hair. And even if you did, it's a lake, not an ocean, so there are no sharks to be afraid of." I said all this, trying to point out all the reasons why she wouldn't need me to be there, so I wouldn't be in trouble when she found out the real reason. "Besides, I already have plans for this Sunday, so I can't go anyways."

Mandy scrunched her eyebrows as she tried to figure out what plans I could have. After a second, her face cleared. She got this amused look on her face and started laughing and shaking her head no, bewildering me. "Okay, okay I guess I could have asked nicer. I just figured since you're the one whose into that kind of thing, you'd come willingly. But that wasn't fair. So, I'll try again. Will you please, please go with me this Saturday?"

"Mandy, didn't you just hear me? I'm doing something Sunday," I said, beyond confused.

Mandy got that same look on her face, the one she'd had a few seconds ago. "But I thought you were kidding? You know, trying to make me feel bad for taking advantage of you. I didn't know you were for real." At that last statement, I got a bit offended and it showed on my face. "What? Can you blame me, Hannah? Honestly, every time I try to get you out of your little cocoon, you just refuse every brilliant idea I suggest."

By this time, we were in the doorway to my first period, one of the many classes I didn't have with her. Actually, the only class we had together was Anatomy. "I hate to break it to you Mands, but you've never really had any brilliant ideas. The ones involving me, at least. I mean, who wears leather miniskirts to their cousin's wedding?" I asked her, reminding her of one of her unfortunately real 'ideas.'

Mandy just shook her head at me and sighed as she backed out of the doorway, needing to get to her own class.

"Pshh. Whatever, Hannah, you just don't know brilliance when you see it. I have to go now, but we WILL continue this conversation at lunch. See ya," she said as she walked away, waving and smiling, knowing that I would be cornered at lunch.

I spent every class period up until lunch dreading what was about to take place. It's not that I didn't want to tell Mandy about Paul and be all girly about him, I just realized with every passing hour how stupid I was going to sound when she questioned me. I didn't know his last name, how old he was, what he did for a living, or even if we had anything in common. All I knew was that I wanted to get to know him; I _wanted_ to put myself out there on the line so I could find out what it was about him that I found so alluring. And a tiny part of me liked keeping Paul to myself, like he was a secret I wasn't willing to share.

_No!_ I shouted in my head as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of lunch. I took my time packing up my books, intentionally staying behind the blockade of cheerleaders at the door. When the group of chattering girls moved, I took a deep breath and stepped out of the classroom. I followed the majority of the students to the cafeteria, hunching my shoulders to at least be at their level.

"Hey there mystery girl," Mandy's voice called from behind me. I winced and slowed down to let her catch up.

"Hey."

"Aw, you're not going to speak to me in one word sentences now, are you?" she asked, pushing her bottom lip out in a pout.

"No."

Mandy sighed and cut ahead of me in the line, grabbing a tray and picking a few things from the buffet of undercooked cafeteria food.

We moved through the line in silence, reaching our table soon after. I hadn't even sat down yet before Mandy began her torture.

"Spill, girl. Now. What is so important that is making you ditch me in my hours of need on Sunday?" Mandy didn't sound mad, just curious. I thought about Paul as she asked this question and just how important he had become to me and I blushed furiously.  
"I'll give you three guesses," I mumbled, talking more to the table that sat before me, the one I was currently staring at, knowing she would understand me anyway I spoke. She stared at my red cheeks and I could only imagine what she was thinking.

"Well," she began, "you're blushing like crazy, so either its something embarrassing or something personal. Or both." I nodded to her observations, my eyes still glued to the table, letting her know she was on the right track. "Okay, first guess: you got a hot, mysterious man you're going to meet on a secret date." As she said this, I thought for a second she was just joking, but she spoke so seriously I knew she wasn't. The heat on my face intensified as she gave this suggestion, amazed at how right she was, but not saying anything, my eyes refusing to meet hers. My silence was all she need for a confirmation.

Mandy squealed so loud the nerds three tables over heard her and broke up their debate on the accuracy of the Pythagorean Theorem to stare at the Quileute beauty. "Oh my god! NO WAY, no freakin' way! My Hannah Banana has a date on Sunday and she didn't tell me! With a hot mysterious stranger!" Her smile was so big I was waiting for her face to crack. She was sitting beside me and grabbed my hand all of a sudden, squeezing it so hard I would lose circulation soon. "Were you ever planning on telling me, Hannah? Or was I going to have to wait till you had his babies?" Although I hadn't thought it possible, my cheeks burned even brighter as I gasped at her last comment, even thought it was only sarcastic, hoping her voice was only so loud to me because I was sitting right next to her.

"I am NOT having his babies, Mandy! How could you even come up with something like that?" I asked harshly, finally releasing the lunch table from my stare to meet her eyes just long enough to see the hurt in them.

"I don't know. It was a stupid thing to say, and I'm sorry, but you _did _keep this from me. Did you not want me to know about your secret guy?" She asked the question barely above a whisper, upset that I was hiding something from her.

I turned in my chair so that my body was facing hers and placed the hand she had been previously holding on her shoulder, saying, "I was going to tell you, Mandy, you just beat me to it." I gave her a small, apologetic smile, hoping she would sense how nervous I was about this subject. Her face cleared from sadness and confusion as she began to understand. "Oh, okay then. Well, what's his name? And when- no, how did this happen?"

"Well, his name is Paul-"

"Wrench?" Mandy asked, interrupting me, referring to my lab partner who had had a huge infatuation on me the first few days I was here. It wore off by the end of my first week, but Mandy still liked to crack jokes at my expense about the Star Trek fan who wanted me to be his alien princess or something like that. "Eww, Gross! That is beyond revolting, Mandy. What is wrong with your brain this morning?" I asked more than a little creeped out that Mandy would think that I would date Paul Wrench, who only wanted me for a fake, imaginary princess. I may have low self-esteem, but even I have standards. And one was that my man would want me for the _real_ me.

"I have no idea. Maybe it's the three king-sized Snickers' bars I had for breakfast as compensation for this stupid fishing trip kicking in," she mused, looking thoughtful for a minute, gazing at a point above my shoulder, before she turned back to face me with a smile on her face. "Any who, keep going. Name: Paul. Check."

"Before I tell you about, Paul, I need to tell you about how I met him. I was going grocery shopping for my mom when her truck broke down with about a mile still left to go. I don't know how, but the truck managed to make it to a local garage I had heard of, The Auto Hounds." As I paused for a second to take a breath, Mandy jumped in and decided to share her thoughts with me. "So Paul works at a local auto shop as a mechanic? What kind of ambition is that?"

"Would you please let me finish, Mandy," I asked exasperatedly, frustrated that she wouldn't let me get the whole story out, no interruptions.

"Answer the question and I'll be so quiet you'll think I was born a mute," she countered with a smile, awaiting my answer.

Honestly I answered, "I would if I could, Mandy, but I really don't know that much about him." As I thought about it, I realized that I knew nothing about Paul, excluding his height, or even if he really did work at The Auto Hounds. I saw that she was about to say something about my little revelation so I put my hand up, silencing her. "Just wait till you hear the whole thing, Mands, and it will make sense to you." I took a deep breath before I began, allowing my mind to wander back to the magic that had happened yesterday.

"Okay, so I'm waiting at the auto shop while Jake and Quil, their the ones who own the shop, work on the truck to try and figure out what was wrong, when Quil's girlfriend, Claire, comes by to see him and says that Paul is coming over. She's a junior here and is supposed to have lunch with us but I don't see her anywhere," I explained as I scanned the room for the little bundle of energy. Not seeing Claire, I resumed my story to a surprisingly not-talking Mandy.

"A few minute after Claire came, Paul came over with some food for the guys." I paused not really sure how to describe what happened next. "I'm not entirely sure about what I'm going to say next, so don't worry if you get confused because I am, too." Mandy nodded her head in understanding before motioning with her hand for me to go on. "Paul came inside angry cause the guys had jumped him to get the food and Claire told him to calm down before he scared me away. He hadn't seen me yet, and when he turned around to say something back to her, our eyes met. And I'm not sure what was going on, just that I'm pretty sure everyone else in the room knew had happened. While our eyes were locked, I saw a whole bunch of different feelings wash over his face; it was crazy intense. For the whole two seconds that it felt like our souls were connected, I felt safe with him. Don't ask me why because I haven't the faintest clue why I was feeling this way, just that it was kind of nice. Like a guy actually wanted me. It was even a little romantic until he tripped over the tool box. He had kept walking while our eyes were locked so he wasn't watching where he was going, and next thing you know Paul's lying on the ground." I added the last sentence in after getting a confused look from Mandy. I smiled as I remembered this adorable blunder and Mandy giggled.

I took a sip from my water bottle, finishing it, before picking up my styrofoam tray and throwing it into a nearby garbage can; Mandy did the same. As I had been retelling my encounter with Paul, Mandy and I had eaten the various edible items on our trays that hadn't been hazardous to our health. Once we were seated again, Mandy scooted her chair back and turned it so that her body was facing me, crossing her leg at the same time. Putting her elbow on her knee, she laid her chin in her palm, giving me her undivided attention again. As she gazed at me intently, she exclaimed, "Don't leave me hanging, girl! Keep going."

I laughed at Mandy's enthusiasm _for me_. Having already decided to leave out the little skirmish that had taken place and left me crazy, I continued, "Jake introduced us and told me that the truck had to stay overnight. After telling them that was fine, but I still need to buy my groceries, Paul offered to take me and then drive me home. Claire decided to go with us to make it less uncomfortable, I guess." I frowned as I recollected all the strange behavior that had gone on yesterday.

"Wait a second, freeze," Mandy said holding up one of her hands. I looked over at her face which had a shocked expression on it, along with one of disbelief. "You were about to get into a _guy's_ truck? Just like that," she said, snapping her fingers for emphasis, "no questions asked? What have you done with my little Hannah Banana, you little flirt!" she exclaimed, smiling and laughing now. I decided to ignore her, and the bright red spotlights that were taking over my face, and hurry up and finish before lunch was over so it wouldn't carry on to Anatomy.

"Whatever. He took me to the store, I bought my groceries, which he paid for, and he dropped me off at my house. End of story. Fin," I said rushed, trapping the lunch table once again under my gaze as Mandy's chuckles quieted.

"Aww. That's so sweet, but when did he ask you out?" Mandy asked.

"Right after he let me off at my house, he asked me if I would go out with him this Saturday. I said yes, but then I remembered my plans with the parents, so I had to take it back. So he asked about Sunday instead and I said yes." I blushed as I thought about how I had gawked at his handsome face. "Then he drove away." After giving me a scrumptious wink, I added to myself.

"You have to let me pick your outfit," were the first word out of Mandy's mouth, her tone completely serious.

"No way in heck. I refuse," I said shaking my head adamantly, but not allowing it to rise in fear that my eyes would see evil in meeting Mandy's eyes.

"Yes."

"No." Mandy sighed in frustration, but I knew she wouldn't give in so easily. She put a hand under my chin and raised my head, turning it so that I was looking at her head on, straight into her eyes. "Hannah, Hannah, Hannah. Look, I know you're gorgeous. You should know you're gorgeous. But the rest of the world, we need to show them. This Paul … what's his last name?"

"I don't know," I said, blushing, yet again.

Mandy's eyes got really wide, but she didn't comment. "Whatever. This Paul guy sounds really cool, and I think you kind of have a little crush on him. And in order to knock him off his feet, although you managed just fine on your own from what I've heard, you should definitely glam up a bit." Mandy winked at the last part, making me fear for my life. But she did have a very pathetic, but valid point. I wanted Paul to be blown away on our first, and hopefully not last, date, but I didn't even know where we were going, so I guess I had to take my chances with Mandy since I knew absolutely nothing about styles or dressing up. Guess who was always the model when Mandy went through her fashion designer wanna-be phase? Yeah, lucky me.

While I was pondering on these thoughts, Mandy could tell what I was thinking and at my grimace of surrender and reluctant nod, she knew she had won. She clapped her hands and squealed, yet again as I gritted out the words, "Fine," from between my hard pressed lips. But before Mandy could go in-depth about how badly my wardrobe needed her and how amazing I would look on Sunday, the bell rang, saving me once more.

We both stood up and were gathering our belongings to head to Anatomy when a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned quickly to find the human energizer bunny standing behind me, beaming and looking out of breath. "Hey, Hannah, Hannah's friend. I just ran here from the gym, where my volleyball's quick practice session was because Quil just called me and said to bring you by the shop after school so you can pick up your truck and take it home. Okay? Meet me in front of the library after school. See ya!" Claire said all this in less than thirty second then sped off, without even waiting for a response, out of the lunchroom, to wherever her sixth period probably was.

Mandy cast me quizzical glance, but all I could do was shrug and walk past her, rushing so we wouldn't be late to class. But the whole time Mandy and I walked to Anatomy, I couldn't help remember the strange glint I had seen in Claire's eyes. But I think I was just imagining things. Guess I'll just have to trust Claire on this one.

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**So...**

**Hate it? Love it? Despise it? Neutral? REVIEW!!**

**--Mary**


	4. A little Brush Up

**I was recently reminded of having to put disclaimers in my story by a friend, so...**

**Disclaimer: These characters all belong to the all mighty Stephenie Meyer. They are, and alway will be _hers._**

**We are very, very, _very_ sorry for the long wait on this chapter, but this whole scene is very intense and was extremely hard to write for myself and LuvLikeJesus29. Hopefully all the finger cramps and us pulling out our hair over this chapter paid off. That means review please!**

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**Chapter 4- A Little Brush-Up**

I twisted my shoe in the dirt, sending a dust cloud up surrounding my foot. I checked the entrance to the school for what seemed like the twentieth time, seeing the same thing I saw the past nineteen times. No Claire.

Surprisingly, Mandy had been very good in Anatomy, not mentioning Paul or my upcoming date even once. I'm sure she was just being nice now, fattening up the cow so to speak, before torturing me with a probably very uncomfortable outfit that would make my face visible on Mars.

The bell had rung at least half an hour ago. The school buses had chugged away ten minutes ago. I have been standing in the same spot for the past twenty-five minutes or so, looking out the library window, waiting for Claire to show up and drive me to the auto shop. The librarian came over and told me she had to leave early for a doctor's appointment- something about menopause? Yeah, TMI much. I noticed an empty bench outside that was right next to the parking lot and decided that it was as good a place as any to wait for her, now that I was kicked out of my only shelter. As I walked over I searched around, trying in vain to find Claire's tiny blue car, but not seeing it anywhere. I sighed, pulling out a copy of Things fall Apart for English class before slamming my bag onto the bench as I sat down and decided I had wasted enough time. _I really need a phone._

I had read a few pages before the sound of tires on gravel came from behind me, breaking into my concentration. I didn't bother turning my head to see who it was; Claire would have called my name by now. A door slammed shut, closely followed by footsteps getting louder and louder with each step the person took towards me. _Oh Mylanta. This had better not be some perv trying to take advantage of me, the pathetic girl who gets left behind! Claire, you are so dead! Sweet Jesus, tell my mom I love her…_

"Hey. I heard you needed a ride."

Without knowing that it was happening, my previously crossed legs untangled themselves without my permission, causing me to topple over forward and land palm first onto the gritty, gravel sidewalk. But since I was falling so fast, the mass of my oncoming body was too much for my poor hands to hold up so I ended up colliding into the sidewalk, my legs crushed underneath me. I felt all this before I knew it had happened: my palms and arms scraping against the hard concrete, tearing away tiny bits of skin; my shoulder ramming into the ground; my legs being overwhelmed by the weight of my body. And let me tell you, it hurt. _A lot. _

"Hannah! Are you ok? I'm so sorry! Are you ok?"

Paul's frantic questioning broke through the haze of pain as I became aware of him lifting me and sitting me up so that I was leaning against the hazardous bench, just so I banged my head against it. Thank God I had tied my hair up in a small bun so I had at least a little cushioning to this blow. "Ow," was all I could manage to get out as I felt the pain all over again, now being enforced by a migraine. Legs sprawled out in front of me, I bent my head down to cradle it in my spotted hands. Wait a second._ Spots?_ The blood was there, tiny little specks on my palms.

I could imagine how pathetic I looked, now hyper-aware of Paul's hand still on my back and the underside of my knee, as he tried to cover-up a chuckle. I could tell it was dying to be set free so I turned my head to the side, facing him, but not looking at his face (it'd be too painful to stare at his beauty) and said, without a single stutter, "Don't hurt yourself trying to be polite, Paul. Just laugh."

And laugh he did. Loudly, but not in a rude, offending way. His laugh was more like a thunderstorm, a harmless one. One that turned my insides into jelly, so beautiful and penetrating. I sighed. Such a lovely sound should not be allowed to exist.

After a few seconds, Paul quieted and looked down at me, while I looked at my injuries, surprised that they didn't hurt as bad as I had imagined. Yes, there were the tiny dots on my hands, but they hurt hardly more than a sting. I flexed my fingers just to be sure though, and I was right. I could feel where my skin had peeled a little on my forearms, but it wasn't as serious as I thought. They weren't even bleeding, just scraped. I looked lastly at my legs, lying out in front of me. They hurt, but it had only been a few seconds that they had had to hold my weight before Paul had straightened them out, so it was really just the aftershock. I was sure if I just rested them tonight, they'd be as good as new tomorrow. The only thing that was really hurting was my head and that I'm sure would go away after a few hours, tomorrow at the latest.

"I'm sorry for laughing, Hannah. Where does it hurt?" I had been so focused on my pain that I had almost forgotten Paul's presence, so I had to hold down a shiver when he leaned in and asked softly, in the most caring voice I've ever heard, "Do you mind if I check to see if you broke anything?"

I didn't trust my voice, but I wasn't going to give him any inkling of an idea of how crazy I was about him. So, being the stubborn idiot that I am, I stuttered, "N-n-o."

Paul's hands, which had previously been on the underside of my knee and on my backside to keep me up, left both areas as he moved himself so that he was crouched down on his knees beside me and scooted down to my feet. Ever so gently, his large fingers brushed against my ankle, up my calf, and over my knees, his touch as light as a feather, me blushing the whole time as his eyes were locked on my face, waiting for any sign of pain. It felt like a trail of mini flames were being left wherever our skin made contact. I held my breath the entire time, partly waiting for a burst of soreness, and partly because his eyes were so intense and anxious, as if the thought that I might be suffering any pain was unbearable for _him_, and I couldn't look away even if I wanted too. Silently, I thanked God that all my pants had been dirty and waiting to be washed so the only thing I could wear today were the Bermuda shorts my mom had gotten for me two years ago. Otherwise, Paul's analysis would have been very awkward in pants.

When I gave no indication of any tenderness, his face broke out into a huge grin, coming to the same conclusion I had moments ago. "I guess it's not as bad as I thought," he said, standing up. He held out his hand for me to use as leverage to pull me up, but then pulled back quickly, a worried look taking over his face. "Do you want me to pick you up?"

If I had been standing, I assure you, I would have swooned. Instead, I blushed very deeply at the thought of Paul carrying me, his strong, sizzling arms holding me against his body. No way was I going to let my face burn as bright as a red sun. I shook my head no, sticking my hand out so that I could pull myself up with his help. Paul's warm hand gripped mine tightly, raising my body swiftly from the ground. My balance was out of control and I ended up tumbling into Paul when he pulled me up, my left hand on his chest as I tried to steady myself and not knock him down. But he didn't even seem fazed when our bodies crashed, like I hadn't used his body as a brace. He just used his free hand to grab me around my waist and pull my body more securely to his, till we were as close as humanly possible; his fingers were lighters that made my body of wax melt at his touch. He chuckled huskily, his heated breathe blowing softly on my ear and giving me goose bumps as he leaned in and whispered, "Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?"

Trying to remember how to breathe and all the bad (yet amazing) things that would happen if I let Paul carry me, I nodded while saying shakily, "Pos-s-sitive." I kept my eyes glued to Paul's shoulder, refusing to see what I'm sure he was feeling in his eyes. Amusement. At me. There was only so much my battered pride could handle. I took a very deep breathe, breathing in his very essence, and took my hand out of Paul's now scorching one. Using both of my hands, I supported myself against Paul and took a step back, finally lifting my head, ready to handle whatever jokes he made about my inability to get up properly. _Would he want to cancel our date now that he knew what a klutz I was?_ I hope not.

I had prepared myself to see amusement and repulsion at my slip-up when I met Paul's gaze, but not for what was there. In his eyes I saw only a gentle tenderness, the softest of emotions gracing his face as he searched my eyes for any pain. Concern dripping from every word that escaped his lips, Paul asked, "How do you feel? Can you make it to the truck? My offer still stands." His eyes bored into mine as he awaited my reply, trying to decide for himself if I was capable of walking the few feet to the car.

I concentrated the whole time, meaning I had to look away from Paul's face, while I balanced myself against him. Once I was sure I was fine, I let go of his shoulders and took another step back, only to prove that I could walk, not because I wanted to. My face broke into a huge, idiotic grin when I didn't start to wobble and I looked back at Paul to see his face mirroring mine. The breath was almost knocked out of me as I discovered how much this man cared for me, though I was practically a stranger to him.

Deciding that I had wasted enough time staring at Paul's face, I asked the main question that was burning at the back of my mind. "So why are you here?" At Paul's crestfallen expression, I rephrased the question, not able to see him so sad. "Not that I'm not glad you're here. I was just wondering what you're doing her, that's what I meant. I mean, I've been waiting for Claire for the past half hour so I wasn't expecting you, that's all." Realizing that I was rambling, I stopped there before I said something really dangerous, like how he had been the star of my dreams last night.

Paul's adorable smile was back on his face by the time I was done saying nonsense and he nodded his head in understanding to my question. "Oh, yeah, I get what you mean. Claire's game is today and she called Quil and told him that she can't pick you up because it's an away game and she left school early. I thought you knew." _No, but I bet that's what the little minx told you._ "He and Jake were busy at the shop so I thought it'd be alright if I came and got you. It is, isn't it? Alright, I mean?" Paul sounded so worried, like his chivalrous deed was a sin. I smiled as reassuringly as I could, saying, "It's fine, Paul, thank you." My heart nearly shattered at the level of kindness Paul had shown to me in the past two days; all the sweet and thoughtful things he had done for me and all I had done was think that he would cast me aside at my first imperfection.

He looked so relieved, I almost wanted to laugh, but I couldn't because my heart was welling up by how much I felt for him. "Your welcome," he said, flashing me a brilliant smile that could've knocked me over right then and there. Then I definitely couldn't refuse Paul's proposal. _Proposal? Dum-dum-da-dum. Dum-dum-da-dum. No! Stop it, Hannah. You and Paul are NOT getting married. Not yet. At least wait for a ring, you freak._ I gave him a half smile, feeling too much like a creep if I gave one matching his. _Yeah Paul, I was thinking about us getting married. That's why my smile could fill up Texas._ Oh, yeah, definitely a freak.

Satisfied with my walking capability, Paul bent down, picked up my backpack, then stood up straight with his elbow sticking out for me to hold, like a true gentleman. I put my hand into the very warm crevice of his elbow, my fingers gripping his bicep, my mind thinking some…_uncomfortable_ thoughts. I blushed while trying to keep my mind focused on walking properly, but that just drew unwanted attention to myself and I was suddenly a fascination to Paul, who was trying to figure out why I was red. I kept my eyes looking straight ahead so I wouldn't be trapped under his gaze, not knowing or looking forward to what would happen the second I let myself loose under those orbs of dark chocolate.

We reached the truck in a matter of seconds and I let go of Paul to open the passenger door, but he beat me to it. He held the door open for me, waiting until I was comfortably situated before putting my backpack in the truck bed. I gave him a quizzical glance- it would be easier if I just held my backpack in my lap, as he shut my door and walked around the front of the truck to the driver's side. He nodded his head to let me know that he knew that I was confused and waiting for his answer. I was shocked again by how well Paul could read me; he understood what I was try to say and he was always so attuned to me and it sent a tsunami of emotions flooding into me. I loved it.

Once Paul got to the door and was inside the car, he put his seatbelt on before looking at me expectantly. I looked back at him, not sure what he wanted me to do. He sighed, saying, "Are you that eager to kill yourself, Hannah? Was nearly giving yourself a concussion not good enough?" When I still didn't get what he was talking about, he pulled on the seatbelt strap that was across his chest, giving me an expression that clearly meant "duh." As it began to make sense to me, I nodded my head in comprehension. "Ohhh, right. Sorry," I said sheepishly, looking down as I buckled up my seatbelt.

The belt clicked into the buckle, proving to Paul that I was as secure and protected as could be in this vehicle and the frantic expression on his face finally vanished. I honestly did not know why he worried so much about my safety, but it made me all warm and fuzzy when I thought about the reason I wished it was. _Stop_, I commanded myself. I shouldn't think about us "together" until we've had our first date, at the least. Then I could give free reign to my rebellious mind. Even if it's only in my dreams.

Paul started up the truck and pulled out of the parking lot, stretching his right arm across the space between us so that his right hand was holding the back of my seat head. His head turned around to look behind us, making sure no cars were in the way. If I rotated my head to the left, my nose would barely skim his wrist. I wanted to so badly, just to see his reaction, but I chose to instead not risk my life and lean forward and look to the left, enjoying the view of Paul's biceps from a distance. Oh, boy was this guy _ripped_. His muscles literally bulged from his skin- a sight that would terrify any person in their right mind. But I, being me, was more awestruck than scared- I can't explain why, but I knew Paul would never hurt me. He cared so much about my wellbeing and he was always so charming.

Once we were safely driving to the auto shop, and Paul's guns no longer in danger (from me), I cleared my throat noisily to make sure I had his attention. Paul looked at me, signaling with a nod that I could continue. "So why did you put my backpack in the truck bed? I could've just held it in my lap," I said, confused, again, by this guy and his weird actions.

Although I would have deemed it impossible, I'm almost a hundred percent sure that Paul blushed under his russet skin. True it was only for a millisecond, but nevertheless, he blushed while I was asking this question. He glanced sheepishly out his window, looking positively adorable, like a little kid who was caught stealing form the cookie jar. This was a different side of Paul that I had only seen once before- shy and uncertain, he looked nervous, like when he had asked me out. He peeked my way before looking straight ahead, gaining courage from my merely curious appearance. He mumbled his reply, "I didn't want the backpack to hurt your legs." When my eyes drifted down to where my feet were, telling him through my body language that there was room on the floor of the truck, he said, "I didn't want them to be cramped either."

Acting like the completely ridiculous girl I am, I awed loudly at his consideration, causing him to blush again. In the back of my mind, I realized that Paul was _so_ attentive, much more so than any normal guy, and it should have been freaking me out. But it didn't; in contrast, it touched me deeply. But then again, I was becoming aware, and accepting, of the fact that anything dealing with Paul and abnormality, I didn't find strange at all. Though I probably should have.

Paul's beautiful eyes would not meet mine as he tried to make the blush go away. He looked so cute, trying to cover-up his thoughtfulness, I couldn't help but laugh. This made him blush an even brighter shade of red, but it was still very unnoticeable with his skin so dark already. In a defensive tone, Paul responded to my amusement, saying, "I just didn't want you in pain. Sorry for caring."

My giggling was cut off by his harsh tone, something I had never heard before. Surprised, I glanced at Paul to see hurt and anger all across his face. I was flabbergasted as it dawned on me why he was so upset. He thought I was laughing at _him_, thinking he cared _too_ much, while I was really just laughing at his blush. I kept the tiny smile from appearing on my face as I reached across the space between us and laid my hand on top of his, which was holding the steering wheel in a death grip. When our skin made contact, I could feel his hot hand trembling beneath mine. At my bold move, Paul sucked in a breath, his eyes straying from the road to look down at our hands. I kept my gaze on his face as I explained, hoping to remove the wounded expression that was on his lovely face, and calm him down so that his body would stop quivering. "I wasn't laughing at you, Paul. How could I, when you've been nothing but sweet to me the two times I've seen you. I was laughing because you looked so cute blushing, like you were ashamed because you thought you were doing something you weren't supposed to," I said, blushing by the end after calling Paul cute. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings and I'm really grateful for all your help," I whispered, finally looking away, a funny feeling creeping into my stomach.

We reached the shop a second later, not giving Paul any time to respond. I got out as quickly as possible, a little embarrassed at how emotional I had been. I slammed the door a little too loudly behind me. _Oops_.

"Hey, Hannah. Hey, Paul," Quil called from the direction of the woods behind us.

I turned around and saw him shaking his hair, small twigs and leaves falling from his head. "What were you doing in the woods, Quil?" I asked.

Paul, who all of a sudden appeared beside me, tensed, grabbing my arm and squeezing it a little too tight. "Ow! Paul!" He practically threw himself away from me, a frantic look in his eyes as he looked me up and down. _I guess my emotional break down was forgotten._

"I'm sorry! I swear I didn't mean to hurt you!" he sputtered, turning a pleading look on Quil.

Quil nodded and walked to Paul, patting him a few times on the shoulder. "She's fine Paul. You're just not used to being so careful."

_What the heck? Why was Quil reassuring Paul? Why was Paul apologizing to Quil?_ I rubbed my arm, grazing over the purple bruise on my arm where Paul had accidently pressed. There were even darker prints across the streak in the shape of Paul's fingers. I winced, but successfully held in the whimper that threatened to escape.

Paul stayed away from me, keeping a few feet of distance between us. He watched me with a discouraged expression, mouthing another sorry.

"I'm not as breakable as I look, Paul. I won't fall apart because you touched me," I said, trying to console him. I was feeling so comfortable with him that I honestly couldn't stand him being so far from me. I battled against the urge to run to his side, still having no clue why he looked so crestfallen.

I then noticed a red truck in the other corner of the parking lot, clearly newly painted. The truck reminded me of my mothers', but only by the many colorful beads that hung from the rearview mirror.

"Quil? Is that…? Did you...?"

"We were hoping you'd like it. Doesn't she look brand-new? It's amazing what a fresh coat of paint and a new transmission can do," he laughed from behind me, but it sounded a little forced to me.

"You really shouldn't have. I only needed what would make it safe again to drive. This is too much, Quil. Just scrape the new paint off or something."

"I don't think we can do that. The paint is meant to stay on. Just think of it as an apology for having to keep her overnight."

So overjoyed, I turned on the spot and ran to Quil, throwing my arms around him. I apparently was having another bold moment. "Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you. This makes driving that old truck so much easier."

I could see Paul out of the corner of my eye, scowling at Quil with an envious gleam in his brown eyes. I couldn't tell if it was my imagination or not, but his body seemed to be shaking again.

"Uh, Paul and Jake helped out too. Paul was actually the one that thought of giving her a new paint job," Quil said, quickly stepping out of my arms. I hoped he didn't think I was into him. _That'd be weird._

I walked over to Paul and draped my arms around his quaking torso without any hesitation. "I know I've told you thank you a million times in the past two days, but thank you, again."

Paul seemed to hesitate for a fraction of a second, but then his long arms wrapped around me, his hands settling gently at my waist again _(oh, how I wish they'd stay there forever)_ and pulled me closer into the embrace. "My pleasure."

I moved away from Paul reluctantly after a moment, taking a tiny step back.

"My mom's probably getting worried again. Thank you both, again. Give Jake a hug from me," I called behind me as I ran to my truck.

"See you Sunday. Six o'clock sharp. Don't forget," Paul hollered after my receding body.

I waved a hand behind me to let him know I had heard, climbing into the newly painted truck. I pulled out of the parking lot, speeding away home. I caught a quick glimpse of Paul and Quil heading into the woods. Quil punched Paul playfully on the shoulder, but Paul was watching me. My eyes met, more like drowned, in his for a brief moment before the group of trees obscured him from my view. _Stupid trees. Always have to ruin everything. _

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**Like I said, very intense chapter, huh? **

**Don't you just love shy protective Paul? You may now squeal :)**

**--Mary**


	5. A Mother's Approval, Maybe

**Woo-hoo! A whole week to work on the story! Hopefully that means I'll be able to post more chapters this week, but then again I am grounded, so who knows?**

**Disclaimer: Most of these characters belong to Stephenie Meyer, the one and only ruler of Twilight.**

**Now, here's an extra long chapter for everyone! :D**

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**Chapter 5 – A Mother's Approval… Maybe**

The newly painted truck was in a considerable amount of conversation at the Berkeley residence that Friday evening. My mother's excited chatter mixed with my father's admiring mumble and my brother's incessant nagging echoed from room to room.

"I can't believe you won't let me drive it for three more years!" Peter whined _again_ from the dinner table.

"Petey, I already told you. You have to be fifteen to get a permit in La Push," my mother said, repeating her side of the argument _again_. She grabbed two of the four plates that were full of food and carefully placed them in front of Peter and my dad. I balanced the other two remaining plates on one arm while I held the pitcher of punch in my other hand as I followed her to the table. Carefully bending my knees so I was level with the table, I tilted my elbow up just enough for the first plate to glide safely down my arm. I caught the second one with the ends of my fingers, straightening up and heading for my chair that was across from Peter's and in between my parents', setting the pitcher down at the side. With the table ready for dinner, my mother and I sat in our seats, a signal for my dad and Peter to dig in. Peter greedily snatched the bottle of ketchup and poured it over every inch of food on his plate. _If I was his food, I'd be suffocating in a sea of tomato sauce. _

"But the truck won't look new in three years! It'll be back to its rusty color by then. It's not fair that Hannah gets to drive it when it's freshly painted," Peter said, continuing where he had left off before dinner.

"So paint it," I mumbled under my breath, not meaning for anyone to hear. But Peter shot me a glare from across table, indicating he had. My parents were too busy enjoying the meal to hear me, although they had heard Peter's complaint loud and clear.

"Speaking of," my dad chimed in, attempting to ease the tension, "how did you manage to pay for everything Hannah? It must have cost quite a bit for everything the auto shop did to the truck."

My fork, which was full of peas and making its way to my mouth, stopped an inch away from my lips. I set it back down on my plate quickly as I thought about what Dad had just said, realizing what an idiot I am. "I…I...Well, actually, I forgot to pay." I was dumbfounded. How did I manage to forget that? _Oh, let me guess. Paul._

Everyone had different expressions on their face: Peter stopped his whining long enough to chortle like a hyena, Dad choked on his water, and Mom's eyes got as wide as saucers as she stared at me in disbelief.

"Well, that won't do at all. You'll have to go back there tomorrow before we go to Port Angeles and pay those boys back for their services," my mother said, her finger wagging in my face from the left.

I nodded silently, wrapped up in my own little world, and stayed out of the conversation for the rest of dinner. After I ate every last grain of rice, I excused myself from the table and headed for the stairs.

"Oh Hannah, we have an early birthday present for you. It's on your bed. You can thank us later," my mom called after me. My back was towards her, otherwise I might have noticed the huge smile spreading across her face and the little pout that had recently taken permanence on Peter's face grow.

I walked faster, curious of what would be waiting for me on my bed. As soon as I was halfway up the stars, I sprinted for my room, pushing the door shut behind me out of habit.

A gasp escaped from my mouth as I looked at the bright blue object in the middle of my bed. I bounced onto the bed, snatching the cold metal into my hands and examining it.

The tiny flip phone was perfect for me; small enough to fit in my back pocket comfortably, yet large enough for me to never lose it. And it wasn't something flashy that would draw unnecessary attention towards me. A silver chain hung from a miniscule hole in the upper right corner of the antennae, a sparkling silver 'H' dangling from it. I flipped it open, familiarizing myself with the complicated paths that each button connected me to. I smiled when I found the address book, which already had my parent's, Mandy's, and my home number saved into it.

I dashed out of my room, down the stairs, through the living room, and skidded to a halt into the kitchen where my parents were still seated. They looked up with a mixture of worry and anticipation, smiling sheepishly at me.

"Do you like it? We thought since you seem to be getting into tough situations over and over again that we would get it for you as soon as possible. I happened to have a bit of free time after work and picked it out for you. If you don't like it we can go back to the electronic store and-" my mother's rambling was cut short when I threw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her and my father in a hug.

"Thank you so much! You have no idea how much easier you have just made my life," I commented, extremely excited by the fact that I finally had a way to contact someone in a dilemma.

My parents each took turns returning the hug individually before sending me away to my room, relieving me of my chores for the day. Back in my room, I looked through the Hello Kitty address book I've had since the third grade which contained the ten numbers I have ever called in my entire life. Yeah, I didn't have a very extravagant social life. As I leafed through the P section, already knowing that there were no numbers listed there, but also knowing which number I _wanted_ to be there, I thought back to this afternoon and the weird interaction between Paul and Quil. Paul looked so jealous when I had hugged Quil earlier, but why should he be? There was no reason whatsoever for Paul to feel threatened by me hugging his friend…unless _he liked me_? I'm pretty sure my heart almost stopped as I contemplated this thought. _Whoa, take a deep breath, Hannah. No need to send your body into shock because a boy might like you._ But that was just it- Paul wasn't just any boy. First off, he was more man than a boy and secondly, no guy could ever compare to Paul. _At least not any I know._

_Ughhh!!!!_ I screamed silently in my head as I threw my hands up in the air and let my previously upright body fall backwards on my bed so that I was lying fully on my back with my head on my pillow. I always knew boys were confusing, but Paul was on a completely different level that was all his own. Deciding I had wasted enough time thinking about Paul, I got up and brushed my teeth, getting ready for an early night-in as I anticipated tomorrow. _Oh well, at least I don't have to worry about him any more until Sunday._

*~*~*~*

The rejuvenating spray of icy water splashing across my face startled me out of my dreams (of a certain dashing Quileute male, I might add) and brought me to reality, awakening me. "AHHHH!!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs in a very high voice that was unlike my own, shooting straight up in my bed as I pushed the comforter off my body. Peter laughed hysterically at the noise that had escaped from my mouth, rolling on the floor next to my bed with his weapon of _**my**_ destruction out of his arms for the moment, meaning that he would not be on his guard for a few seconds at the very least if I was lucky. I could picture the imaginary light bulb that clicked in my brain as an idea formed in my head. Before he knew what was happening, I slid out from under the comforter faster than I ever thought I could and grabbed Peter's water gun from the floor. I didn't let anything register in his mind before I drenched his face in the freezing water. They always say revenge is sweet, but I prefer ice cold.

The cackling stopped immediately, and in turn he started choking on the water that went down the wrong pipe in his throat. _Oops_. I let myself feel bad for a moment, and then I let it go. _Oh, well. Sucks for Peter. _Iaimed the gun away from his face and released the trigger from my grip, stopping the squirting. His hair, which was the opposite of mine and just like mom's, dark brown and straight, was clinging to his face by the time I was done and he shook it like a dog, allowing little droplets to fall all over my floor and bare legs.

"What the heck, Behemoth? Couldn't handle a little bit of water?" Peter said as he got up off the ground and walked the two feet over towards me. Now that he was right in front of me, with me towering his twelve-year-old frame, he copied my stance by crossing his arms over his chest like I had mine. If anyone looked at us right now, they would know right away that we were siblings, minus our hair and eyes. Our body structure was even kind of similar, but I would never admit to that in public. And then there were our eyes. His were a deep blue while mine were just a boring gray color. I was always jealous of his eyes and I knew that in a few years I'd have to chase the annoying little girls who weren't good enough for him away, but for now, he was my pesky little brother and he needed to get out of my territory.

"I can handle the water just fine, Petey," I said, calling him the name he hated like the way I hated him calling me Behemoth. "It's the aggravating little brother I can't."

"Uh hem," I heard coming from my doorway. Me and Peter both turned our heads towards my door and found my sprite of a mother leaning against the doorframe, watching the two of us, amusement sparkling in her eyes as she looked over her two wet children. "Sorry about the wake-up call, Hannah, but it seems like you were able to get even, so alls fair in love and war? Somehow, Peter actually woke up this morning and I needed you to get up so we can get a move on to the garage before we go to Port Angeles and he volunteered. I forgot to ask how, my bad. Sorry, honey, but do you think you can go get ready now? It's already ten o'clock. And Peter, leave your sister alone, I think she's suffered enough for one morning," my mom said, relieving me from the worst form of torture as she turned and walked away, leaving me to get dressed for the day.

Peter glanced back at me, looked me over, smirked and ran out of the room before I could punch him. I know, I know, violence is not the answer, but I'm pretty sure Gandhi would change his mantra if he had Peter Berkeley for a brother. _Whatever._

Deciding to try and make Mom happy for once, I rushed to the bathroom, spending a record time of five minutes or so in the shower and pulled on my clothes. As I shrugged into my loose blue and black striped shirt and yet another pair of short shorts (never was able to do the laundry), I heard a clatter coming from downstairs. _Oh, Joy. Dad's attempting breakfast again._ I giggled at the vision of my father burning his hand or putting way too much butter on the pans. The few times he had _tried_ to cook for us ended in a disastrous plate of inedible food, which he would sheepishly try to joke about. I shuddered slightly as I remembered the one day he had tried to make me and my mother lasagna. We all knew now that we couldn't trust Dad anywhere near cooking utensils. I didn't bother going downstairs to check on him because I knew Mom would soon be in the kitchen replacing him.

Grabbing my towel from its hook on the wall, I dashed out of the bathroom and stumbled into my room with my hair wrapped in the towel. My fingers scrubbed furiously at my hair, trying to urge the towel to soak up any excess moisture. When I was satisfied I had dried my hair to the best of the towel's ability, I threw the sopping cloth across the room and into the window. It made a _splat_ sound, sliding to the floor and leaving a trail of water on the wooden wall.

Five minutes later I had brushed my hair, deciding to leave it in a wavy mop above my shoulders and was sprinting down the stairs. I had no idea what was making me move so fast, but my legs and arms refused to slow down.

"Wow. I haven't seen you move that quick since you were seven and the ice cream truck was getting away," my dad's deep voice laughed from the loveseat in front of the television.

I couldn't help but laugh with him as I remembered my childish foolishness, sitting beside him while I waited for my mother to emerge from the kitchen. He draped his arm around my shoulders and I rested my head against his chest. We sat in silence, watching the burly men on the screen playing football. That was my favorite attribute of my dad. We never had to have 'chats' or 'special talks'. Just nice and quiet together time. I always thought it was adorable how my mom and dad were very different from each other, and yet they sort of completed each other. It always made me smile to see the way they looked at each other, full of adoration and warmth. _Sigh. _I wanted to have that one day.

"I'm sorry to break up the only peace this family has ever experienced, but I'm going to have to take our daughter away, Shawn," my mother's voice said as she walked around from behind the couch. She held a plate with two omelets and a glass of orange juice in her hands, raising an eyebrow at Dad while gesturing to the food. My dad chuckled and raised his arm from around my shoulder, raising his hands up in mock surrender before nudging me gently with his shoulder.

"Great sticking up for me, Dad," I teased him, lifting myself from the gray loveseat and walking to the kitchen where I knew there was a delicious omelet waiting for me. Mom took my place beside Dad, both of them picking at their eggs. I devoured my omelet in a few seconds, chugging down the orange juice while heading out to the front door. My mother grinned and leaned over to give Dad a quick peck on the lips before following me out the door.

Handing me the keys once we were outside, my mom walked past me and climbed into the passenger side of the truck, a small smile glued to her tanned face. "Hurry up, Hannah! We need to come back so we can leave for Port Angeles right after."

I laughed at my mother's eagerness and made my way into the truck, starting the car up with one hand while I closed the door with the other one.

My mom talked animatedly to me during the whole ride, curious about my social life since moving to La Push. Honestly, I hadn't really made any new friends or gone to a single major event. Mandy always begged me to go to parties with her, but that just wasn't really my definition of a good time. I'd take a trip to the beach with my closest friends over a raging party any day, which always left Mandy dumbfounded. I went along with my mother's encouragement to make her and Mandy happy, promising to go to a few parties this year.

When the sign to the shop peeked out from behind a cluster of trees, I pointed it out to my mom. She nodded her head quickly and told me to speed up. I turned into the parking lot and found a space fairly easily since there was only one other vehicle there, a truck that I had ridden in before. _Crap_. I parked and we got out. My mother scanned the area, flipping her long brown hair over her shoulder.

"Oh. Hey, Hannah," a familiar gruff voice said from the garage's direction. I turned my head to look over my shoulder and the instant my eyes landed on the speaker, I couldn't stop my weak smile from widening into an ecstatic grin. Surprise flashed across Paul's features at my excitement to see him before he returned my smile with a crooked one of his own.

"Hey Paul," I replied, "This is my mom, Stacy Berkeley. Mom, this is Paul. He had helped out with the truck, too." I gestured from one to the other while speaking, paying close attention to my mother's reaction to Paul's towering frame. My mother's eyes darted from me to Paul, sizing Paul up. Seeing as how I had lived with her since I was born, I could easily see the bits of worry on her creased forehead and arched eyebrow as she quickly threw a forced smile to Paul. _Oh no. Not good, not good, not good. _I can't say I really blame her, though. Paul does look like he could be an ex-convict considering his height and muscled torso. Then again, how could she not see that his ruggedness only enhanced his beauty and was just a cover-up to a sweet, sensitive teddy bear? _Snap out of it, Hannah! _I was staring again and I was pretty sure my mom noticed.

Paul closed the distance between us, taking slow but large strides. He smiled at my mom, glancing at me a few times, but overall keeping his gaze on my mother. He had reached us in four steps, stopping before my petite mother and placing his hand in front of her. "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Berkeley," Paul said in his husky voice, waiting for her to accept his hand in a shake. My mom gawked at Paul, who was still innocently smiling at her. She must not have noticed just how tall he was from far off, but it was clear he soared above her now and I'm sure she was a bit taken aback by the height difference, though almost everyone she met was taller than her. She seemed to suddenly snap out of her daze and took his hand, letting him cover her entire fist and shake it gently.

At this point, I was holding my breath to keep my giggles and laughter in, but watching the interaction between Paul and my mom broke the little control I had in me. The bubbling laughter erupted from my mouth in a half roar, half snort, sucking all the air from my lungs out with it. I tried to look at my mother and Paul through my blurry, squinted eyes, but all I could make out was both of their faces turning towards me. I forced my hand to cover my mouth, but that only served to make my snort more pronounced. A smoldering warmth covered most of my right shoulder and I realized that was because Paul had his hand on it. My giggles continued slipping through my fingers, at a slower rate now and the heat of embarrassment in my cheeks felt as if it would burst through my feeble skin.

"Hannah? Are you ok? Is something wrong?" Paul questioned me.

"No…I mean…yes…hang on," I gasped between my laughter. I straightened my back from doubling over in laughter and inhaled as much air as I could before pinning my mouth shut, refusing to let the guffaws out. I squeezed my eyes shut, trembling as my lungs begged me for another breath. When I decided the hysteria had passed after a few seconds, I released my breath in a quick burst, breathing roughly while my body recovered. My hand clutched at the skin above my frantic heart as I lowered my head. That's when I realized I had unintentionally and instinctively leaned in towards Paul, with my other hand on his chest, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. My forehead was also leaning against his warm hard chest while his hand was still lazily hanging on my shoulder. My breath hitched and the wretched blush that I had just managed to cool down returned full force, but definitely not for the same reason as before.

I took a quick and _long_ step back, shivering as the lack of warmth from Paul's hand caused a chill to run through my arm. "Sorry, it's just you two looked hilarious standing next to each other, I couldn't help it," I mumbled, staring at the ground and smiling as I remembered Paul's gigantic form making my mother seem like an ant in comparison.

Paul smiled at my explanation, but my mom walked forward and hooked her arm roughly through mine before I had a chance to return the gesture. "All right Hannah, pay the man. We have to get going," she said, her voice soft and cool, but I could tell that she was straining to make it sound even and calm.

The friendly smile on Paul's face was substituted with a frown of confusion as he raised a questioning ebony eyebrow at me. "Oh yeah. Um, are Quil or Jacob here?" I asked, looking over his shoulder to the side, avoiding his gaze.

"No. I'm watching the shop for them while they're gone. They had some errands to run. What did you need them for? Is there anything I can help you with?" Paul asked, anticipation creeping into his voice.

"Oh, well, then I guess we'll just give you the money," my mother intervened.

"Money for…?"

I looked up at Paul, his expression showing that he was beyond confused now. "My dad mentioned something about how much it must have cost for the truck's renovations and I sort of realized I never paid…for the… truck," I muttered, almost forgetting what I was trying to explain when Paul began shaking his head.

"Did you honestly think we would let you pay for all that? We aren't going to make you pay for something you didn't even ask for," Paul sighed, hurt clearly noticeable in his voice and chocolate eyes.

"B-but, I can't just _not _pay you for all you guys did. At least let me pay for the engine work. I did come in for that," I argued, pulling my wallet from my back pocket. I could feel Paul's eyes linger on where my wallet had just come from, his eyes traveling down my legs before a movement from my mother brought him back down to earth. She had reached for her purse, which had extra money in case I hadn't brought enough with me. I let my now dry hair fall in front of my face as I leaned my head down to count out the right amount of money.

But, then Paul was suddenly inches from us, one hand blocking my mother's from pulling out any cash and the other stopping mine from opening my wallet, his palm gently covering (more like caressing in my opinion) my hand.

"I'm sorry, but I will not accept any money from either of you. Quil told you it was an apology for having to keep the truck overnight and that included the payment," he said sternly, taking a moment to collect himself before speaking again," Just…go home. Please."

I couldn't bring myself to resist his request after I saw the pleading expression on his face, no matter how much I thought it would be wrong to not pay them. "Fine, but next time, I'm paying," I huffed, trying to clear my head of the intensity of his voice and eyes, thrusting my wallet back into my pocket, "And I plan on leaving a very nice tip."

My attempt to lighten Paul's mood seemed to have worked since he rolled his eyes and returned his hands back to his sides after my declaration. He gestured toward the truck with a nod of his head, a playful smile pulling the corners of his lips up.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you Paul," my mother piped up before tugging on my arm as she plastered a retreating grin on her face and made her way back to the truck.

"Bye Paul," I said while I patted his arm. I blushed slightly when he stared at his bicep where I had touched him, positive he must have felt the same spark through his shirt sleeve as I had in my fingertips. I turned away from him before he could get a good look at my pink cheeks and forced myself to walk to the truck. My mother was waiting inside the truck, staring out into the trees, impatience written all over her face. I was climbing into the driver's seat when Paul spoke up.

"Bye Mrs. Berkeley, bye Hannah. See you tomorrow."

I had never seen an owl turn their head before, but I was sure that my mother had just beaten the record for quickest head-turn in the world, even against the abilities of the all mighty owl. A corner of my brain was amazed at how she had done this without breaking her neck, but the rest of my thoughts were occupied with the look of betrayal, fury, and worry etched on her delicate face. I practically melted in my seat under her stare as I started up the engine, but quickly distracted myself by concentrating on the drive ahead.

I could feel my mother's eyes on me most of the way home, burning through me as if she was trying to find answers to the unspoken questions rattling around in her head.

"Hannah," my mom's strained voice whispered, breaking through the silence, "Are you going back there tomorrow?"

"No," I muttered nervously. I could already feel my cheek's heating up from the approaching question.

"So that man was wrong? He isn't going to see you tomorrow or ever again," she said while nodding her head, as if the statement was to reassure herself.

I delayed my answer by focusing on turning into our driveway, pretending to have a little trouble seeing out the windshield. With the truck safely in park and the key out of the ignition, I prepared myself for my mother's reaction, whatever it might be.

"Actually Mom…Paul and I kind of…have a little…date tomorrow," my voice broke slightly on the last two words as I looked out my window to avoid the full blast from my mother's wrath.

I counted to ten, but when she didn't answer, I turned back around so I was facing my mom, her eyes closed, as if she was trying to calm herself. When she opened her eyes again and saw that I was watching her, she finally exploded. "What?! Hannah are you trying to send me into a fatal panic attack? You are going out alone with that MAN? Isn't he too old for you? How long have you known him? Were you not planning on telling your father and me about this?" she shrieked, though I knew she was more worried than furious, which I'm sure is how she would appear to a stranger who just happened to stumble upon the scene.

I sighed and hopped out of the truck, walking up the cement driveway and hoping that my dad would be able to calm her down. I heard my mom slam the truck door and scurry after me. Maybe I could bring her down to a low sizzle instead of having her burst into the house like she really was on fire. "Calm down, Mom. It's not like he's on parole or twice my age or anything like that." _At least I hope not._

By then we had reached the door and I was desperate to distance myself from my volatile mother, but she clearly had other plans. She always did go a little nuts when she thought someone she cared about was in any danger. She couldn't help but be an overprotective freak.

"What do you mean he's not on parole? He was in jail? _My_ Hannah's dating a criminal? I don't think so! I don't want to be one of those mothers that stop their daughter from dating boys until their thirty, but I have to draw the line at criminals! You cannot go out with him tomorrow! Just wait until your father hears about this," she rambled, waving her hands exasperatedly behind me as I stepped into the house with her just a step behind me.

"Wait until I hear about what?" my dad's muffled rumble came from the living room. I could hear the commentary of a baseball game from the television, which meant my dad would be a bit distracted while he talked. It probably wouldn't have mattered either way. Dad was the pacifist, the one who always tried to solve everything calmly and fairly. Everyone usually thought the complete opposite when they first met him, judging him by his tall and rough stature, but my dad was just a big softie. He was also the one who had the job of calming my mom down and reasoning with her and he almost always succeeded. _Almost always. _

"Oh Shawn, your daughter is trying to kill us," my mother said dramatically, charging into the room and standing with her fists on her hips in front of my dad. I followed her and stood by the couch next to the gray loveseat my father had been sitting in ever since we had left.

My dad tore his eyes away from the television screen and looked up at my mother, who was blocking his view of the game, skeptically. He turned to look at me, hiding his eye roll from her and sighed. 'What did you do now?' he mouthed to me, still hiding his face from my mother.

"Shawn? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, darling. What do you mean Hannah's trying to kill us?" he asked, getting up from his lounging position on the loveseat and grabbing her hands. I could see him rubbing soothing circles into her hands with his thumb.

"I'm not trying to kill either of you. Mom's just being her usual exaggerated self," I said, trying to defend myself as I leaned against the back of the couch.

"You are only going out with the man to rebel against us, aren't you? Shawn please, make her stay home tomorrow," she pleaded, acting like a five-year-old that wanted to go play for another hour.

"Honey, we knew this was coming sooner or later, whether we liked it or not. Hannah's a grown up now and dating is just one of those things that come with it. We were lucky that she didn't start until now," Dad said while lowering his head a little to level his eyes with Mom's.

"I'm fine with the dating, it's just her _choice_. This man looks like a gorilla on steroids." _A very hot gorilla on steroids._

I could have probably escaped to my room then, while my mother was restrained in my father's arms, but she clearly wasn't giving up yet.

She turned her head away from Dad and pried herself from his grip. She marched over to me, which was quite amusing due to the fact that she looked so innocent and petite even when she was trying to be commanding. She was a woman on a mission.

"Hannah, you cannot date that man; I refuse. I am and always will be your mother and have the right to stop you from going out with someone I consider dangerous."

I scrunched up my nose at my mother's demand, knowing that I couldn't go along with it. "Mom," I groaned, "I am almost eighteen. I am six weeks away from being old enough to fight for my country. I think _I_ have a right to decide who _I'll_ date. I don't even know if Paul and I are technically dating yet since we haven't even been on a date. Paul is not dangerous and you have no evidence to back up your suspicion. I'm sorry, but I am going out with him tomorrow."

Mom pouted her lip, the worry in her eyes as strong as it had been when she had first started questioning me. She turned to my father, communicating without making a sound. Dad quickly threw his hands up, as if pushing back an invisible force.

"Sorry, Stacy, I'm neutral."

Mom turned her head from me to Dad continuously, her waist-length hair flipping into her face with every change. After a minute of this, she finally hung her head in defeat and let out a very long sigh.

"Ok, I give," she whispered. She raised her head and stared at me, scanning my entire frame. "Just make sure you keep your cell phone on you at all times. Remember if you hold down the 'one' button then it will immediately call me. The 'two' button will call your father. If this guy even indicates that he wants to hurt you, don't hesitate to call. Maybe your father should show you a few defense tactics. Oh and pepper spray! Pepper spray is very effective," Mom muttered, counting on her fingers as if ticking off an imaginary list in her head of different ways to defend yourself.

As soon as my mom started going into the subject of inappropriate touches and how to tell them apart, Dad finally came to my rescue, walking forward with a sly smile on his lips. He came up behind Mom and wrapped his arms around her abdomen, just above her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. He tilted his head slightly, just enough to be able to reach her ear. I could see his lips moving in a rapid whisper, but even though I was only two feet away, I couldn't catch a single word of what he was saying. Suddenly, I noticed a scarlet blush appearing on my mother's cheeks. It just appeared out of nowhere, no warning whatsoever.

Maybe I didn't want to know what he was saying. _Ewww!!! Mental Images! Damn, awkward mental images!_ I seriously needed to get out of here before I puked whatever was leftover from breakfast at the way my mind was thinking.

I debated whether or not to voice my departure, but my mother's steadily reddening cheeks quickly made the decision for me. As I was heading out the door, my mother's voice calling my name from behind stopped my feet in their hasty retreat and made me turn around on the spot. "Yeah, Mom?"

"You can still go out with Paul, but just answer this question for my peace of mind. Did you know Paul was going to be at the auto shop this morning?" she asked from her secured position in Dad's arms.

Not sure what this had to do with anything, I answered truthfully as I shook my head, "No, Paul doesn't even work there. Why?"

A relieved look washed over her face as Mom replied with another question, "So you didn't wear shorts to try and…seduce him, or anything, right?"

My cheeks flamed and my jaw fell to the ground as the words my mom had just spoken sank into my mind. She thought I wore shorts to…_seduce _guys? _She did __**not**__ just say that_. I mean, they _were_ short shorts, but still. She bought them for me. And, besides, I would never do that; I'm not that kind of girl. _I'd wait until the second date, at least_. But Mom didn't have to know that. I choked out my answer, furiously blushing and completely embarrassed, "No, Mom. I did NOT wear those shorts this morning to…seduce Paul! I wore shorts this morning because I'm a little behind on my laundry."

"Oh, okay, dear. Just making sure. You can leave now," she said, shooing me out of the room as if total humiliation of her daughter is something that she does all the time.

Without wasting any time, I scrambled out into the foyer, glad that a wall was now blocking my view of my parents resumed groping_. Eww!! So gross!_ I made my way to the stairs, grabbing the railing for support and walking up slowly.

_At least I never have to worry about them getting divorced. _Most parents never showed too much of their love in front of their children. Sure, they would steal a few kisses here and there, but never had I heard of parents that acted like mine. Honestly, they never seemed to get enough of each other. Maybe it was because they were so young or maybe it was an early midlife crisis, but they were very…loving. It was very embarrassing at times (actually _all_ the time), but it was also sweet in a way. Their relationship was the kind that I had always dreamed of having with someone. True love in its purest form.

"It's about time! Geez, Behemoth! How the heck am I supposed to convince Mom and Dad to let me drive if you keep them busy all the time?" Peter shouted from the top step. _Again with the stupid nickname._ He glared at me and started sprinting down the stairs. I snaked my arm out and caught him while he was in mid-air, jumping over two steps. I had to twist in place just so I wouldn't tumble down the stairs from the force of his twelve-year-old body slamming into me. I heard the air whoosh out of him and his gasp as he tried to breathe.

"What the heck is your problem? Let me go, Behemoth!" He thrashed against my binding arms, kicking and punching until I curled him against himself so his arms were trapped by his own legs. I pinned him to my chest as he began to squirm again, forcing his face between my arm and side.

"Hannah!" his muffled voice yelled into me.

"Listen, brother dearest. I'm just trying to protect you. I don't think you want to bother Mom and Dad right now."

He stopped trying to slip away from me and froze, evening out his panting into his normal rate of inhaling and exhaling.

"All right, Behemoth. I'll stop," Peter growled into my arm.

"Enough with the stupid nickname, Peter. You want Mom and Dad to treat you like you're older and yet you still act so immature," I sighed setting him down on his feet before I finally returned my hands to my sides.

Peter's eyes were glued to our feet, his head level with mine due to the fact that he was one step higher than me. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples, preparing to apologize to Peter. I could never bring myself to stay mad at him, or anyone as a matter of fact.

In a very classical Peter move, he ducked under my elbows and squeezed past me while I was distracted. _Ugh! I've lived with him all his life and I still fall for his innocent act!_

"Peter!" I hissed, lunging for him. He ducked under my reaching fingers and landed on the hardwood floor on his hands and knees.

"Beat you again, Behemoth!" he cackled, taunting me as he stood and ran for the living room.

_Get to your room, Hannah. Room!_

I turned around and sprinted for my bedroom, pushing the door open just as I heard Peter's wail.

"Oh my God! My eyes! Aaah! What the hell are you two thinking?!"

I heard a clatter and the thudding of footsteps stomping nearer and nearer.

"Peter! Get back here young man! And you watch your language!" Mom's scolding voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs. Before I could enter my room, Peter's crumpled form flew from the stairs, swerving to the right down the hall and into his room.

"Disgusting!" he screamed before slamming his door. I heard a faint click as the door locked a second later.

A huffing brought my attention back to the stairs, where my mother leaned against the railing, holding one arm against her chest. I caught a few of her murmurings of Peter's bad timing and privacy in this house. She composed herself and stood to her full height, sweeping her hair back from her face with one hand. From this angle I could see her hair was in disarray and her cheeks were flushed along with the fresh wrinkles on her purple blouse.

She watched Peter's door with squinted eyes, her forehead creasing in concentration. I swallowed the giggles that threatened to escape while she continued staring, apparently trying to will Peter with her mind to come out. She finally gave in when Dad called her from downstairs.

She sighed and took a step down, stopping there and turning her head towards me. "Hannah, get ready to go. We'll be leaving in half an hour," she said, "That goes for you, too, Peter," she added loudly, calling in the direction of Peter's room. With that she sauntered down the remaining steps and left me to my business.

I closed my door and went straight for my closet, sifting through my clothes. I didn't bother looking through the first rack, which held the clothes I wore regularly. The back rack was where I would have to look now- where the clothes Mandy and Mom had bought me on our frequent shopping trips were hidden. The first rack contained jeans and comfortable t-shirts, nothing fancy. The back rack, however, had beautiful dresses, flowy skirts, fitting blouses, and plenty of fashionable outfits. I rarely dared to dive into the colorful jumble, but on occasions such as these it was either I choose an appropriate (or at least in Mom and Mandy's eyes) outfit or they choose one for me.

I grabbed the first dress that caught my eye and looked it over. It seemed fine to me; a knee-length turquoise polyester halter dress. It had a surplice V-neckline, with a gentle ruche just below the bust. It was simple and flattering all in one, just plain perfect. I had to hand it to my personal shoppers- they did have a very nice taste in clothes. Too bad I didn't look any good in them. _I wonder what Paul would think, seeing me all dressed up? Maybe then I could really seduce him. _I chuckled at my mother's silliness, although I did wonder what it would be like. To try and seduce Paul, I mean. I'd definitely need some help with that one. _Oh, well, it's not as if that would ever happen_. I shook my head clear of my unnerving thoughts and strolled over to the bathroom, deciding to take a quick shower before heading out to Port Angeles.

*~*~*~*

The rest of the evening passed by in a torturously slow manner. It was like the whole world had slowed its rotating just to make me suffer before my date with Paul. Every second was like a minute, every minute an hour, and every hour a day. I'm sure it would have passed by quickly had I not been glancing at any clock every chance I could get: on the dashboard of the car, Dad's watch, the grandfather clock in the restaurant- literally _every single_ chance I had.

Dinner was slow, yet quick at the same time. The waiter seemed to take forever to get all our orders and Peter played with the same string of spaghetti for minutes, but it wasn't as ridiculously sluggish as the drive to and from Port Angeles. Nothing special or attention-grabbing happened. Not even the displays of affection between my parents affected me. During the entire outing I was distracted by my anticipation, barely noticing anything about my surroundings.

When we finally returned home, I was so desperate for Sunday to be here all ready that I quickly changed into my sweats and plopped down on my bed, praying that the sun would rise soon. I glanced at my alarm before burying my head into the pillow again. _Only 11:30! Time is truly evil._

With that last curse bouncing in my head, I threw myself between two pillows and crushed my eyes shut. It seemed to take hours before I finally drifted into sleep, but it felt like heaven once I finally let my weary mind be taken over by my dreams.

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**???**

**Did you like it? It was really fun writing this. My parents are starting to think that I have some weird random laughing disease since I start cracking up while I'm on the computer. xD**

**Reviews are always loved!**

**--Mary**


	6. Waiting

**Final Disclaimer (let's just make this one apply to the entire story, ok?): Many of the characters from this story belong to the Twilight queen herself, Stephenie Meyer.**

**Before anyone mentions it, this chapter is kind of short. _But_... that will only make the next chapter much longer :) Me and LuvLikeJesus29 just decided to post this chapter up now so we would at least have one update this week. **

**With that said, go read the story! :]**

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**Chapter 6 – Waiting**

_2:27a.m. Ugh…_

_5:21a.m. Come on…_

_8:53a.m. What the hell is wrong with me…_

_9:46a.m. I give up. At least normal people get up at this time._

A shiver ran the length of my body, causing me to curl up into an even tighter ball and pull the sheets up to my nose. _It's so cold!_ I breathed on my numb hands, flexing and rubbing my fingers together to return the feeling in them.

The weather had drastically changed overnight. Though it was the end of October, I honestly did not expect it to get so cold so fast. The many times I had come to La Push to visit my family had been during the humid summer or fresh spring, never during the frosty months of winter. It had been cool and breezy since I had moved here, but nothing serious enough that I needed more than a light jacket. Now, though, I wasn't sure I had a coat that had enough padding to keep me from turning into a human popsicle.

I decided to hurry and get the first full blow from the frigid air over with now before I lost my nerve and stayed in bed all day, staring at the few pictures and posters that were scattered around the walls, dressers, and floor of my room. I locked my eyes on my drawers in front of the bed, clutching the covers as I jumped out of the bed and ran over the icy floor. _Holy crap! _The floor was even colder!

Opening the drawers while I hopped in place, trying to get some warmth into my frozen legs, I picked out an oversized San Francisco State hoodie that once belonged to my dad and a pair of comfy sweats, shivering as I made my way to the bathroom. The movement warmed me up a little bit, but thanks to my infamous short shorts and the t-shirt that I currently had on, my tanned skin was trembling from the biting cold air. Locking the door behind me, I looked myself over in the mirror, but mainly at my face. The first thing I noticed were the round rings of black circling my eyes, evidence of my very sleepless night. _Got to love cover-up._

Changing as quickly as possible, I moved on to my hair, but decided to leave it down, even though it was sticking up in every direction, to keep my neck and ears warm. I had pulled on a pair of socks, too, which helped with the unpleasantly cold floor. I glanced at the clock for what was probably the hundredth time this morning. _10:09a.m._ _Ok then. Now I just have to keep myself busy for another seven hours. _A defeated sigh escaped past my chapped lips as I traipsed around the house and began to occupy myself by cleaning and tidying up random rooms. I probably should be doing my homework, but it was way too cold to sit still and study or read and I needed to do something physical that would take mental strain (that would keep from thinking about certain…_things_ was more like it).

The rest of the family had gone out early, or so I assumed from the empty rooms and the unnatural stillness that filled the house. Actually, I knew Dad was at work and Mom must have taken Peter out for some mother-son bonding time. My parents had decided to start spending as much time as possible with him as well; possibly hoping he would decide to stay close to home when he graduated. _I bet he's having fun, _I thought sarcastically to myself, trying to lift my own sullen mood at my brother's expense.

After eating some cereal for breakfast (so I'm not a cook, sue me) I began the cleaning with the bathroom, then went on to my room, and did a bit of dusting in the living room, also. There were a few groceries I organized in the kitchen, which I did purely because of my OCDness (which is kind of selective since I never have a problem with my own room). I was so bored I even did a bit of cleaning in Peter's room. He would probably be furious with me for touching his things, but he'd get over it and find something else to brood over.

A little before 2:00, right after I finished eating some lunch, my cell phone began to ring, the symphony that played as my ringtone whipping through the silence that had fallen over the house. Peter and Mom still weren't back yet. I stumbled into the living room and sat on the couch as I reached for my tiny blue phone. I flipped it open and before I could even get out a hello, an excited voice began to rapidly give me instructions.

"Ok, so I was thinking since you said no leather miniskirts, which, by the way, I still disagree with, that you should wear something that will really keep his eyes on you at all times. At first I thought a dress, but then I thought that would be a little too much since you don't even know where you're going. Then I remembered that cute pair of snug black jeans we bought a few weeks ago in Port Angeles and I realized it was just the thing. Oh! I can't believe I didn't think of that sooner. Those jeans go perfectly with the sandy button-up long sleeved shirt. You know the one that has a collar and it's a little longer than the usual shirt? Oh my God Mandy, you're a genius!" Mandy babbled, congratulating and mumbling to herself a few times in between these crucial instructions. I had called Mandy Friday night, right after I added those few other numbers from my "phonebook". I got acquainted with my phone as Mandy talked my ear off for an hour about absolutely nothing, with me loving every minute of it.

I could feel the flies gathering in my wide open mouth as I stood, utterly amazed at Mandy's ability to say this entire speech without a single pause for breath. "Uh…hi to you, too, Mandy," I managed to mutter after bringing myself out of my dazed state.

"Sorry, Hannah. I just don't have much time. Dad will be back any minute now and since this is a _family _outingI'm not supposed to call anyone, not even you. Basically I've been cut off from all other, normal human beings. How cruel is that? Anyways, so that outfit is perfect for the first date. Since today is a little cold I guess you can wear one of the coats we bought when you first moved here. Oh, I know! The slender brown trench coat, the one that fits your curves nicely. You've only worn that once and it wasn't even out in public so all those lucky males could compliment you. Oh crap, I have to go. Promise me you'll wear this outfit. Pleeease? You promised, remember?" Mandy continued hurriedly, pleading with me on the last few lines of her monologue. I could practically see the pout that she would have on right now in my head.

I internally kicked myself for being such a sucker for those stupid pouts and winced as I answered her dejectedly. "Yeah, Mandy. I did make that unfortunate mistake, didn't I? I had better not look like an idiot, though," I threatened her weakly, a grimace on my face as I imagined how much worse this would be if Mandy was here in person. I shuddered, thinking about all the awful things she could do to me then.

"Oh, don't worry. You can pull off a ton of fantastic outfits and I bet this one will be one of the best," I could hear the smile in her voice as she spoke to me encouragingly, "Ok, I got to go, but good luck, Hannah! Don't do anything I wouldn't do." _Yeah, because Mandy is known for her superb wisdom._

"Have fun with the fishes, Mandy," I rebutted to the dial tone with a menacing smile, imagining Mandy's discomfort with fishing. I shut the phone and placed it back on the rectangular coffee table in the middle of the room. _Might as well just get the clothes ready, then I don't have to worry about finding them at the last minute. _

I absentmindedly made my way to my room, twisting my fingers together as I thought of everything that could go wrong this evening when I was with Paul. _I hope we're not eating anything too messy. Oh God, please no spaghetti. It is impossible to eat those saucy noodles without making a mess, especially on yourself._

At that point, I was submerged in my closet, pushing the dresses and skirts aside as I looked for the specific articles of clothing that Mandy had described to me. When I had found the jeans and the shirt, I laid them out at the end of my bed, right next to the brown trench coat that supposedly 'fits my curves nicely.' I looked over at my radio/alarm clock on top of my dresser and saw that it was still very early, only 2:45. I still had tons of time before the date and at least another hour and a half before I needed to start getting ready. _What? It takes time to look fabulous._

Seeing as how I had plenty of time and was a little tired from my restless night, I decided to take a nap before I gnawed my hand off in anticipation. I laid down across my pillows, putting plenty of room between me and the outfit so that I wouldn't accidentally roll on top it in my slumber. I set the alarm on my phone to go off at four, hoping being knocked out for seventy-five minutes would calm me down. I shut down my brain and thought of the stars, something I used to do when I was little and couldn't go to sleep.

*~*~*~*

"Hannah? What are you doing sleeping? Don't you have a date at six?" my mother asked, arousing me from my deep sleep. Even in my half-consciousness, I could distinctly hear the trepidation in her voice. I lifted my head from my pillow and looked straight into Mom's questioning eyes. She was crouched down on the right side of my bed, which was directly in front of me, her left hand gently shaking my shoulder as she tried to bring me back to the land of the awake.

"What are you talking about mom? My alarm hasn't gone off, yet, so I have tons of time before I need to start getting ready for my date with Paul," I told my mother, as I sat up, I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now, discombobulated. _It's not even four, yet, so what was she talking about? Me, personally, I blame age._ I stretched my hands up to move my stiff shoulders, yawning, before I got off the bed and stood up on the right side, opposite to where my mother was, and stretched again, this time my whole body, loosening the rest of my joints. Mom stood up also, shaking her head at my response, confusion evident on her face as she walked around the end of my bed to stand in front of me, placing her hands on her slim hips.

"Hannah, darling," she said, pausing for a second before continuing in a gentle voice, as if she was about to say some bad news, "it's five o'clock. I came home around three-thirty and you were knocked out cold. Around four your phone started to make some weird noises and I thought someone was calling you, so I pressed the cancel button that popped up when I opened it. I'm sorry; I didn't know phones came with alarms nowadays," she said to me, shaking her head in wonder of the technological device that is commonly dubbed a cell phone. _Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, NO! This cannot be happening! Please God, PLEASE let my mom be joking! PLEASE GOD, I'm begging you! _I prayed futilely in my mind as I looked down at my phone, hoping against all odds that this was all some sick, cruel joke, but realizing it wasn't when I saw the time was currently 5:05 P.M, bright little numbers flashing across my phone's background, mocking me. She gave me an apologetic smile as she continued this sad, horrify nightmarish-like tale that was unfortunately my life, "I left around four-fifteen to go drop off some pumpkin cookies I had baked for Mrs. Clearwater because she's not feeling too good right now. I thought you'd definitely be getting up in another ten minutes and that by the time I came back to the house would be a disaster zone, so I didn't bother trying to wake you up. I'm so sorry, dear. Maybe you should cancel," Mom suggested hopefully at the end of her babbling.

I gave her a sarcastic smile and laugh, "Ha, ha, Mom, you're hilarious. A comic mastermind. A real joker. But sorry to disappoint you- I'm still going on the date. I'll just have to rush a little." I mumbled the last part mostly for myself as I skittered around my room, gathering the things I needed for my shower: a towel, personal items, and the clothes which Mandy had so lovingly picked out for me. I didn't stick around to see my mother's reaction as I dashed out of my room when I heard the front door creak downstairs as it was opened and closed, signaling the arrival of someone who was most likely my father. Peter loved to stay holed up in his room. Why? I have no idea. Let's just say he has an even less social life than I do, which had had a head count of one person until Thursday. I ran to the bathroom before anyone else would get the chance to get in there before me and was out thirty minutes later. _Hurry, Hannah, hurry!_ I repeated to myself over and over again as I walked very swiftly on the tile floor to my room, trying not to slip on my barely wet feet. An injury would _**not**_ help me out right now.

"Hello, Hannah," Dad said as he patted my head and walked past me to the bathroom I had just vacated. I waved a greeting and rushed into my room. _Aah! 5:45! Crap, crap, crap, crap…_

I finished the rest of my pre-date necessities in ten minutes, ending up with a few minutes to calm myself down before Paul arrived. I peeked at the full length mirror in the corner of my room again, scrutinizing the finished product. I let out a sigh of relief as I looked myself over, content with what was staring back at me. _I have to give Mandy some credit; she sure does have an amazing fashion sense. _My hair was thankfully cooperating today, staying in its wavy position even as I swished my head from side to side. The dark maroon winter hat that covered my head down to my ears was most likely the only thing keeping those auburn locks down, but I didn't expect to take it off so it hopefully wouldn't be a problem. The matching scarf around my neck covered what the trench coat couldn't, keeping my neck trapped in its warmth.

As I was stuffing my wallet into one of the many pockets in my coat, the sound of three brisk knocks on our front door made the butterflies, which had been at bay until this moment, in my stomach flutter about wildly, showing me no mercy. _Breathe, Hannah, breathe. _I reminded myself.

I walked as calmly as was possible in this state of painful anticipation down the stairs and into the foyer, where my mother was standing looking through the peep hole. She turned when she heard my footsteps behind her, liking my outfit, but not my date, and sighed, backing up while biting her bottom lip. I couldn't help but chew on my own as I arrived at the door, reaching for the doorknob, turning it, and swinging the door towards me.

* * *

**Please don't glare at your computer screen! I'm sorry, but then again I'm not, about where we cut it off, but if we wouldn't have stopped it there then this chapter would have taken much longer to post. **

**Do not fear, next chapter is what you guys have been waiting for xD**

**By the way, I don't know if anyone cares, but I _finally _saw Twilight!! I thought I was prepared for Emmett on the screen, but honestly I sounded like I was being strangled.**

**(Little scene while two of my friends and I were watching Twilight.)**

Me: Ohmygosh! Emmett's about to come on! THERE HE IS! AAAHH! *squeezes Annie's arm*

Annie: Wooh! Whoa baby! Look at that! Edward so owns the cafeteria!!

Chels: Where's James?! *pouts*

**(When the credits are rolling.)**

*Robert Pattinson/Edward rolls on the screen*

Annie: *squeals and stands up from her seat, waving her finger at the screen* It's the sexy vampire! I love you!

*Cam Gigandent/James rolls on the screen*

Chels: *hoots and throws her hands up in the air* I'd so do him! Damn it, take those pants off!! (_Very perverted_.)

*Kellan Lutz/Emmett rolls on the screen*

Me: *starts hyperventilating and stomps on the ground* I LOVE YOU! Holy cracker! Smile again! Freakin' marry me!

**xP**

**--Mary**


	7. Date Date DATE

**Ok, please don't kill us :(**

**School + computer difficulties + moving + computer hogs = no time at all to get the next chapter up**

**I swear I'll make it up to everyone somehow, I just have to think of some totally awesome thing to make you happy again :D Maybe I'll start making the chapters longer or something...who knows? So, I won't stall you any longer ;D GO READ!!**

**Oh and SleepyHeather, your question will be answered in this chapter (well, sort of...), so no need to worry ^^**

**

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**Chapter 7 – DATE! DATE! **_**DATE?! **_

All the nerves that had been driving me insane since Mandy's call earlier today instantly vanished as I looked up at Paul. He stood on the porch, only inches of space between us, with his hands in his pockets. His slightly baggy jeans shorts hung carelessly from his waist, cutting off just below his knees, while a fitting white short-sleeved shirt showed off his muscled torso. I let my eyes wander up to his face, a hidden smile playing on his lips. We stood staring at each other for what seemed like hours, but was really only a few seconds, until he ran a hand through his black hair, making it even more disheveled (or sexy, depending on how you looked at it) then it had been already.

"So…do I pass?" he chuckled, lifting his shoulders up in a shrug. I began to nod my head for a fraction of a second before I realized what I was doing. I chanced a quick peek at his eyes, seeing that he enjoyed my appreciation for his beauty in the way they had lit up like tiny sparks of chocolate.

I felt like an idiot as I tried to speak, but all that came out was a small squeak. I cleared my throat and looked down at the floor, attempting to hide the blush that warmed my cheeks against the chilly breeze with the waves of auburn hair hanging loosely.

"Hannah, would you come here for a minute?" a trembling voice said from directly behind me. I turned around only to see my Dad hold up a finger at Paul and mutter rudely, "Excuse us." He closed the door, leaving only a sliver of it open. He guided me to the living room, stepping away from me as soon as he turned around the wall that hid the foyer from our view.

He was shaking and I could see his hands clenched into fists by his side. He turned to me, a furious expression in his features. "What the hell do you think your doing, Hannah?"

My eyes widened and I took a step closer, even though I was thoroughly freaked out, to make sure I had heard him correctly. "What are you talking about, Dad? I haven't done anything!"

"I thought your mother was just being an exaggerating controlling parent when she described this guy to me, but now that I see him, he is every thing she said he was. And, as your father I say that you can't go out with him. I refuse. Just look at him! He could probably crush you with just a flick of his wrist!" he bellowed, waving his hands wildly, gesturing between me, the door, and Mom, who had entered the living room at that moment.

"I tried to tell you! Now you believe me right, Shawn?" she exclaimed, rushing to Dad's side.

"Would both of you just calm down, please? I already explained that Paul isn't dangerous! Do you guys need me to pull up his history or something? Can't you just trust me?" I tried to reason with them, my voice rising with each sentence.

I couldn't believe that this man before me was my 'never-resort-to-anger' father, the same one who had declared himself neutral on my dating Paul. I had never seen Dad anywhere near this mad before. And I had seen him in some very tempting situations.

"There is no way I am letting you go out with him alone! We trust _you, _but we know absolutely nothing about this man. What kind of father would I be if I let you go on a date with some random monster of a guy?" Dad argued back, his normally calm voice quivering from his rage. While he was talking, I was shaking my head no. I may not be a rebel, but there was no way I was missing my date with Paul tonight. I would most definitely disobey my parents if they said I couldn't go. I _needed_ to do this, if only for my peace of mind. _Besides, I'm closer to the door than they are_.

"Look, Dad. You are a _trusting_ father, that's why you said I could go with Paul without even knowing him," I said with fake confidence, trying to reassure my parents that they knew what they were doing, even though all this was complete crap I was making up on the spot. "I am going out with Paul now. You guys take this time to calm down and think about what I said and when I get back, we can talk. Okay?" I said, backing up a few steps, getting closer to the door (and Paul) with each one.

Mom spoke up again before I was able to reach the door, a determined, yet worried catch in her voice, "The only way you are going with that…that beast, is if Peter goes with you."

My eyes widened in disbelief at what she said as I realized she was serious. "What?! Are you kidding me? So instead of myself, you trust Peter, who's half my size, to protect me? What kind of demented logic is that?!" I said, bewildered and infuriated at my parents' twisted reasoning causing my voice to raise a few octaves.

"Take it or leave it," Mom muttered smugly, clearly expecting and wanting me to go and shoo Paul away immediately. My father simply stood there, nodding his head, agreeing to what my mom said.

I glared at both my overprotective, yet exasperatingly annoying parents for a minute, purposefully giving them false hope. "Fine. I'll go tell Paul," I grumbled, turning around before either could find a new side to add to their argument.

I stomped furiously for the front door, stepping around it as I opened it just enough so I could squeeze out. Paul was leaning against the railing that surrounded the front porch, his hands still in his pockets and his head turned towards the trees along the side of our house. When the door slammed shut behind me, he straightened up and cleared his throat. I frowned as I sensed a change in the atmosphere, as opposed to when I had greeted Paul a few minutes ago. I couldn't exactly put my finger on it, but I knew that Paul had heard what had just happened and that it had affected him in some sort of way. He didn't look angry or upset, though. In fact, he appeared to be the exact opposite- calm and collected. But, that was it. He seemed too calm.

"I'm guessing you heard?" I asked softly, keeping my eyes focused on a suddenly interesting dark spot in the wooden floor, not entirely anxious to hear his reply.

"Uh…sort of. I mean, I didn't hear anything…if you didn't want me to," he said hesitantly, rushing a little at the end. I "aww"ed in my mind at Paul's sweetness.

"No, it's fine. It's not your fault. You're not the one who's _**crazy**_. So... I hope you don't mind taking my brother along with us. And that it doesn't ruin any of your plans," I said as I sighed, readjusting my scarf and praying in my mind that Paul would be the guy I thought he was and respond the way I was hoping he would.

"I don't mind at all," he answered simply. I saw his feet shifting towards me, but then they were still again. The door abruptly opened behind me, causing me to stumble backwards since I had been leaning against it. Dad pushed me forward a little, balancing me on my own feet as he stepped out. He eyed Paul closely and then turned to me, frowning as he mumbled, "Be careful." I rolled my eyes and stepped away from him, bringing me closer to Paul. The frown grew. _Haha! Take that!_

"Is Peter coming or not?" I asked him coldly, determined to keep my grudge for at least the rest of the day. It's not that I wanted Peter to come, I was just hoping that my parents had changed their minds and I wouldn't have to bring along the little demon.

"Right here, Behemoth," Peter called from behind Dad, stepping out into the cold air as he pulled on his fluffy coat. _Guess not._

Come on, Paul, Peter. Dad" I muttered, nodding a good-bye to my father and then grabbing Paul's hand boldly and leading him down the steps. Paul's eyes widened at my action and I thanked the heavens it was so cold that my blush was not strong enough to overcome my cheeks. I stubbornly stared straight ahead, but not before I saw my dad's eyes widen and a muscle pulse on his temple in anger.

"Nice meeting you, Mr. Berkeley," Paul called behind us. I tugged a little on his hand, pulling us a little faster to his truck. Now was not the time for Paul's politeness. I almost completely forgot why I was mad when he wrapped his fingers around my hand, heat coming in waves as they coursed through my body from that solitary touch. I was suddenly very hot under all the clothes I was wearing and adjusted my scarf again, this time loosening it slightly.

We separated at the front of his truck, going to our designated sides. Peter followed behind me, his eyes glued to a portable game in his hands. I lifted myself into the truck, scooting closer to Paul so Peter could sit beside me. I smiled at Paul, receiving a grin that could melt Pluto back from him. He started up the engine and backed out of the driveway, turning on the heater as he glanced at my outfit. He seemed to be examining me closely, looking me over from head to toe. When he returned his gaze to my eyes and saw me staring at him, he cleared his throat embarrassedly. The adorable smidge of red on his cheeks only made my smile widen. He tried to cover up his roaming eyes by saying, "Are you cold?"

"Not anymore," I said before catching myself. I blushed intensely as Paul glanced at me with a confused frown. As he caught sight of my blush, his lips widened into a knowing smile. I could feel Peter shaking beside me, snickering quietly to himself. Before I got ahead of myself and actually had fun, I had to take care of one more tiny detail. Turning to him, I bargained, "Ok, Peter, I'll make a deal with you. You leave me and Paul alone and I'll do all your chores for a week."

Peter glanced up at me, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Can I at least tell him some of your more, uh, interesting moments in life?" he asked, coughing a little in the middle while his fingers tapped the buttons on his game.

"No, not even one or the deal's off." I retorted sternly.

"Whatever, Behemoth. Just make sure you feed me."

With that _problem_ settled I nestled comfortably into Paul's side, determined to enjoy this date. I was going to make this the most amazing night of my life, up until now, at least. Who knows what would happen tomorrow?

The rest of the short drive was spent in a comfortable silence, though I was very much aware of my arm against Paul's side. I tried to act as if I didn't notice, but I couldn't help looking at the spot where our skin was making contact whenever I thought Paul was busy watching the road. I had to readjust my scarf several times. By the time we had parked in a secluded lot surrounded by trees, it was unwound and hanging from one shoulder. Where we were was no different than anything I had seen in La Push, nothing special. But I had a feeling that after this night, I would see things a little differently.

We all hopped out of the truck causing me to wrap my scarf around my now cold neck again and tighten my coat around myself as the frigid air surrounded me. Paul led the way ahead of me and Peter and I noticed his arms were full of things- one carrying two baskets and the other two large blankets. I reached over and grabbed a blanket and a basket from his unwilling hands. "I can't let you carry all this," I said softly, when he glanced my way, stepping away from him before he could even think of taking the items back. He frowned, but kept walking away from the truck anyways.

I followed close behind, not exactly anxious to get lost, scanning the scenery around us as I walked fast to keep up the pace. The sun was peeking over the clouds, casting a beautiful glow over the rocks we were walking on. _Good call on the boots, Mandy._ The orange glow from the setting sun reflected on the glittering surface of the water that crashed in waves against the rocky shore, causing it to shine so brightly that I had to look away, leaving me temporarily blinded. Swaying trees covered the remaining two sides, looming high above us.

I hadn't realized that Paul had stopped until I bumped into him, my cheek pressed against his shoulder. I took two steps back out of habit, dropping the blanket at my feet. My cheeks heated for the third time in the past hour as I stuttered an apology. Paul just stood in the same spot, his body angled away from me, but his head turned towards me, a small smile starting to spread across his face. His deep chuckle only made my crimson skin deepen in color, practically burning my cheeks. I was once again thankful for the cold; otherwise I might have burst into flames at that moment.

I stepped around Paul to see a wide circle of rotted tree trunks splayed out before us; enough logs for a group of twenty-five or so. A ring of blackened ashes was piled in the center of the logs, a few untouched branches close beside it. Paul had spread a blanket in front of two brown logs, setting the basket beside the wooden seats. He held his hands out, reaching for my load and I handed them to him, watching as he laid the basket on the ground, but kept the blanket in his hand. He gestured to one of the nearby logs, raising one ebony eyebrow. "Do you plan on standing the entire time?" he asked. He seemed to have suddenly realized something as he frowned and his expression changed to one of worry and a little bit of fear. "Wait, you don't mind a picnic, do you? Do you want to go somewhere else? I'm sorry; I should have ask-"

I interrupted him before he could ramble on anymore, smiling as gently and reassuringly as I could. "No, this is perfect. It's about time a guy dares to take a girl out and venture into the trees and sun. Honestly, fancy restaurants aren't my idea of fun, anyways- I like good old Mother Nature too much"

He sighed in relief and grinned back at me. "Looks like your brother found something to occupy himself," he laughed, pointing past me.

I turned around and searched for Peter, expecting him to be right behind me. I found him leaning against a tree, quite a distance away, crouched over his portable game, muttering quietly to himself.

"Good. I guess our deal satisfied him," I said smugly, raising my head triumphantly while cheering ecstatically in my mind.

Paul's deep laughter filled my ears, making me giggle even though I had no idea what it was he found so funny. "You're full of surprises, aren't you?" he said between chortles. I shrugged, my cheeks coloring at his delight in me (I didn't think I was that fascinating, but I wasn't about to argue with him) and walked past him to take a seat on the nearest log. He followed my example, sitting only inches from me on the same log. It felt odd to have him so far after being so close to him in the truck, but I was much too nervous to scoot closer.

We were soon absorbed in our comfortable conversation, laughing and blushing at the appropriate (and sometimes inappropriate) times. Well, I was doing most of the blushing. Paul would ask me anything that came to mind, whether it was what my favorite animal was (horse, definitely- Black Beauty and Man O'War were amazing) or my most embarrassing moment (I was a little reluctant to answer that one, but I did so bravely, blushing immensely the whole time. It was when I was ten and Peter convinced me that tooth fairy was mad at me for loosing so many teeth at one time- I ran into the door and knocked out like five teeth. Painful, much? Yes, very much so. And so, I wouldn't go to sleep for nights. One day at school, my lack of sleep caught up with me and I fell asleep in class. When the teacher woke me up by slamming a ruler onto my desk, I screamed at the top of my lungs "AHHH!!! It's the Tooth Fairy!! She's out to get me!!") Needless to say, I was quite the laughing stock of my class for the next many years, until we moved here, where nobody knew about this painful childhood experience. Until now, at least.

"Not even your best friend? The one you met when you were little and now you guys are really close?" he asked. Paul had leaned in slightly during one of our laughing fits, subtly moving his hand closer to where mine rested. I had explained to him that I didn't have the most exciting social life and that my only real, close friend was Mandy.

I shook my head, answering, "Nope, not even Mandy. You're the first person I've ever told willingly." I smiled sweetly at him as I added, "That must mean you're pretty special. You've got to be super worthy to know these confidential facts about my life."

Paul smiled back at me softly, saying, "Nah, I'm not the special one. I'm just lucky to know her." My cheeks felt like they were on fire as my heart was overwhelmed with his beyond cute behavior.

The sun had disappeared long ago by now, casting dark shadows over the landscape. Paul had built a small fire in the center of the logs, giving us enough light so that we were still able to see each other clearly, but not well. Somewhere in the middle of this, he had walked over to Peter and given him one of the blankets. I don't know how it was possible, but Paul didn't seem to be phased or affected by the rapidly dropping temperature. I guess the fire was good enough for him, but I was completely huddled in the blanket he had given to me. I would have much rather preferred to be cuddled against him, but I guess this was good enough. My eyes shamelessly never left his face, admiring his handsome features under the crackling fire's orange glow, which lighted up half his face and hid the other half with a shadow. He looked so mature in the candlelight- at least the parts that I could see did. So much more interesting than the guys I went to school with. As I thought about how mature he looked, I remembered something very important that I hadn't asked yet. "Paul, how old are you?"

His back stiffened when he heard my question and he leaned away, replacing the frown that had appeared for a tenth of a second with a clearly forced smile. "Twenty-three. You?"

_Six years…is that even legal? Ah, who cares? My parents are four years apart…that's close enough. _"Seventeen," I answered dismissively, waving my hand in the air, as if I was shooing away this insignificant question, moving on to more essential matters. "I'm hungry. Are you ever going to feed me or are we going to have to listen to my stomach growl for the rest of the night?" I was surprising myself by how daring I had grown to be whenever I was with Paul, not nearly as nervous as I had been when the evening began.

Paul quietly chuckled and reached for the baskets, opening one and handing me a sandwich and a soda can. "Thank you, so much. I'm starving, but I didn't want to eat until you wanted to. I don't think I could have lasted much longer, though. I can't tell you how refreshing it is to go on a date where I can actually eat."

"No problem. I just hope you're a good cook," I giggled. In the back of my head I wondered about those others 'dates'. What were those women like? I mean, there was only so much I could compare too. But before I got too lost in my own thoughts, Paul's husky voice brought me back to reality.

"I'm decent, but it's okay because I didn't cook any of this. My friend made these." I finished unwrapping the sandwich and stared at it curiously for a second before responding. "Please tell me it wasn't Quil or Jacob that made these. I feel kind of judgmental saying this, but they really don't seem like the type to make edible food," I mused, lifting a corner of the sandwich to view its contents. It looked safe enough- the meat didn't stink and the cheese wasn't moldy, but I didn't want to take any chances.

"No way. I don't even think those two could warm up a T.V. dinner without burning it," Paul scoffed, taking a large bite of his sandwich. Once he swallowed, he said, "Emily made these. Don't worry, she's an amazing cook. I could live off just her cooking for years."

_Emily? Who's she? _Her name sounded familiar and then I remembered that was because Claire had mentioned her on Thursday at the body shop. But who was she? It couldn't be his sister- he had mentioned earlier that he was an only child. Was she a cousin then? The admiring tone that took over when he spoke of this _Emily_ sent me into an instant jealous state. Thoughts of beautiful women who could cook restaurant quality food ran through my head. I tried to distract myself before Paul could notice my childishness in my face by peeking into the other basket beside my feet. It was full of sandwiches and a few sodas just like the other. "Uh, you don't expect me to eat a whole basket do you? Or are there more people coming?" I immediately became sad at the possibility that I would have to share Paul. I like being with him. Alone. But not like that you dirty, pervs. I liked how we could talk and get to know each other and there was no pressure- just us being ourselves.

Paul breathed a laugh and ran a hand through his hair, turning his head a little away from me. I sipped my soda as I waited for his answer. "No, um, actually most of those are for me, unless you want more, of course," he explained, embarrassedly rubbing his neck as the barely visible blush I had come to adore began creeping onto his russet cheeks.

Even though he was obviously nervous as to what my reaction would be, I couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from me. I bent over my knees, setting my food and drink on the log and pushed one arm against my throbbing abdomen as the giggles stung my insides. "I…oh my gosh…you…I've heard of the expression… 'I'm so hungry I could eat a cow' but…I've never actually heard of anyone…able to eat that much…too funny," I managed to get out through my laughter.

"Hey Behemoth, careful you don't spit that soda out your nose. We don't want a repeat of last Christmas." I instantly stopped laughing and looked up at Peter's smirking frame that was suddenly in front of me. _That brat!_

"Peter!" I hissed at him, giving him the worst death glare I could conjure. Peter grabbed two sandwiches and a soda can and ran back to his tree before I could even stand up. I groaned and hid my face in my hands, mortified that Paul now knew another embarrassing fact about me. "Stupid brothers and their big mouths," I whispered to myself.

Paul had stayed quiet through the whole confrontation and was still silent beside me. I wanted, no, _needed_ to know what he was thinking now. I raised my head slowly and took a peek at him. He had one hand covering his mouth and his eyes were glistening with the tears that had welled up. I couldn't hold my curiosity in, so I didn't try to. "Are you crying because I spit soda out my nose?"

My question seemed to break through his self-control. A roaring laughter filled the forest and echoed through the trees, causing my eardrums to throb in pain. He clutched his heart with one hand and kept a tight grip on the log with the other, keeping himself from falling backwards onto the rocks. He bent forward and straightened himself a few times, stomping his foot on the ground. The shuffling of his feet had ruffled the bare ground, exposing some rocks that were imbedded into it. A dusty cloud rose from the crushed stones that were being turned to ashes by his large feet. I frowned and leaned over, only an inch away from his quivering shoulder. Paul looked at me for a second through his tear filled eyes, his laughter dying down just a bit.

Before he could say anything, I reached over and pushed him with as much strength as my two arms could produce. His arms flayed about as he fell backwards in the short distance to the rocks, not from my strength, but from surprise, landing with a crunch on the ground. He seemed to find this even funnier and his laughter rose in volume considerably. I crossed my arms and huffed, looking down at the log where his legs still lay. I felt my eyes widen and I gasped, leaning forward to inspect the log closer, my irritation replaced with fascination. Exactly where Paul's hand had been, a large chunk of the old tree was missing. I craned my neck to look over Paul's shoe and found a fist sized piece of the wood laying close to his other leg. I looked over at Paul incredulously, staring at his hands.

"Paul, do you work out?" I asked breathlessly.

Paul wiped his eyes on the back of his hands, calming his roar of laughter down to an average chuckle. "No. Wow, that was the most random question yet."

"Not really. I mean, you look like you work out and you did just break a log with your bare hands without even trying to," I stated calmly, wondering how he would respond.

Paul immediately threw his legs off the log and stood up, taking a step back away from me. He stared at the log and then turned his head to me, as if he were searching for something inside me, fear written all over his face. I don't know how I knew, but I did know that for some reason, Paul felt as though he had done something wrong and that I would be afraid of him. Regret and anticipation showed in his chocolate eyes and I realized that I had gotten up and was walking towards him. Paul already had his arms stretched out to me when I reached him and he pulled me into a gentle embrace, leaning his head against the top of mine as he held me.

I had no idea what had just happened, but I had the urge to comfort him, even though I'm sure I was the one who had caused this sudden mood swing in the first place. I wasn't sure how, but I had to try and make things right again. "I'm sorry."

His head lifted just a little from mine, but he quickly returned to his previous position. "For what?" he whispered in my ear.

"I don't know. Whatever I did wrong."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

I sighed and relaxed against him, tightening my grip on the back of his shirt. A sudden thought caught hold of my curiosity and I had to voice it out loud.

"Aren't you freezing?" His body was clearly not cold, but I couldn't help and wonder why that was. I couldn't imagine anyone surviving this temperature without a few layers of clothing and he only had a simple shirt on. Maybe it was just part of my fantasy dreams that he was so hot. Maybe he was really turning into ice without me even noticing.

"Not at all," he answered me quietly, "Why are you? Do you need the blanket?" The worry in his voice briefly reminded me of my mother. _Oh crap, Mom and Dad are probably waiting up for me._

I reluctantly pulled away from Paul, but just enough so I could dig into my coat pocket for my cell phone. He hesitated for a fraction of a second and then let his arms slip from around my waist to his sides. It felt odd not having his warmth wrapped around me. I had to fight the strong urge to throw myself at him again, keeping my feet firmly rooted to the spot I was in. I flipped open my phone to check the time to occupy myself with something else. _Man, I'm in trouble._

"Uh, Paul? As much as I would love to stay longer, I think I should probably get home. Its 10:30 and I doubt my parents will be too happy if I come home any later," I muttered, disappointed that this fantastic evening was coming to an end. I had learned so much about Paul, yet I still felt like he was a mystery to me. I had no idea why I felt this way since he had answered every single question I had asked him, no matter how personal, but something inside me just wasn't satisfied with that.

If it was even possible, Paul seemed more disappointed than I was when he sighed an agreement. We gathered the blankets and baskets, which were much lighter than they were when we had gotten here. I opened the basket I had only to see a single soda in it. I blinked and squinted my eyes, tilting the basket so the fire's light would illuminate the contents. "Jesus Paul! Do you always eat this much this fast? I didn't even finish one!" I exclaimed, searching for words that could voice my surprise.

Paul grinned unashamedly and shrugged. "What can I say? If you haven't noticed I have to provide for a lot more than most people," he laughed, sweeping his hands from his shoulders to his knees. _Oh yeah, I noticed...stop it Hannah!_

Paul shoved the basket and blanket he had under one arm, swiftly grabbing the basket I was holding at arm's length. He held all three items with one arm, enveloping my free hand with his own and leading the way to his truck. I had to remind myself how to breathe while I stared at our intertwined hands. His hold was so warm that I completely forgot about how cold it was and started fanning myself with the folded blanket. Actually, I hadn't noticed the cold at all during the date. Being so close to Paul's scorching body at all times kept me warmer than I would have been on a regular summer day. _We're still technically on a date. I can ask one more question, can't I?_

I sped up my pace to walk beside him, having to take twice as many steps as him just to keep up. "Paul? Why are you always so hot? Do you have a constant fever or something? If you do you shouldn't have come out, you know. I would have preferred you cancel today than put yourself out in the cold when you're already sick," I said, worry starting to creep into my voice.

Paul's eyebrows knitted together and he shook his head before he spoke. "No, I'm fine. I've always ran at a higher temperature than most people," he explained, letting go of my hand and wrapping his arm around the bundle of items under his other arm.

_What a worry wart. _Paul was so obvious that it almost made me laugh when he pretended like he needed his arm to hold the baskets and blanket. _Of course he would think you were complaining, Hannah._ I quickly fixed the misunderstanding by reaching across him and snatching his hand, keeping a tight grip on it so he wouldn't be able to escape this time. I saw a full blown grin spread his lips and his furrowed eyebrows relaxed back to their arched position. I smiled triumphantly as we walked to the truck in silence. When we reached the truck, Paul heaved his load into the back and I threw my blanket in after him.

Our still connected hands finally separated when Paul made his way back to the fire he had started. He threw two huge handfuls of dirt over the flames and they died down, leaving the entire area in darkness with only the faint moon glow acting as a source of light.

When a few minutes later Paul still hadn't come back, I called out for him, frightened by the idea of being near a pitch black forest…alone.

"I'm over here. I'll be there in a second," his answering voice came from far off, near the fringe of trees.

I leaned against the truck and wrapped my coat tighter around myself, the chilly air suddenly colder than it had been a couple of minutes ago. I shivered and my teeth began clinking together, causing my lips to quiver along with them. A large silhouette finally came into view, distorted slightly by something sticking out on both its sides.

The moon's faint glow fell over the figure and Paul stepped out of the shadows, carrying a snoring Peter in his arms. He shrugged and smiled at me, walking around to the passenger side so he would be able to lay Peter down. I had almost forgotten completely about our little tag-along, but I was suddenly grinning uncontrollably due to Paul's kindness with him.

I hurried around the truck and slipped in the door before Paul could set Peter down; getting myself situated as Peter's head was laid against my shoulder. Paul shut the door and walked around to the driver's seat, climbed in, started the engine, and was backing out of the tree enclosure in less than ten seconds.

I didn't want the remainder of the time with him to be spent trying to keep myself from touching him as usual, so I relaxed and leaned against him, absorbing as much of him as I could. His scent, his feel, his looks; _everything _that wouldn't inform him to what I was doing.

"Thanks for carrying Peter. He can be a very big brat sometimes, but I don't think he deserves to be left alone in an empty, dark beach," I said, glancing up at his face, which was only a few inches from mine.

A faint smile appeared on his lips and he shrugged his left shoulder. "I didn't think you would like it if we left him." He paused and his smile widened to show his row of pearly white teeth. "So…Behemoth huh?"

I sighed and kept my eyes on my hands. "Stupid nicknames come with the height I guess. I'm pretty used to it by now. I'm sure people have called you something due to your height. I mean you're way taller than me, so I can't even imagine the constant names you're called."

"Actually, everyone stopped calling me nicknames after the sixth grade," Paul laughed, a distant look in his eyes.

"What? Why?" I asked incredulously.

"Uh…well I kind of got a…a…_reputation_ in that grade…and it's stuck with me ever since," Paul muttered slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully.

"What did you do?"

"I, uh…sort of…I had a bad temper, so…I would just beat up anyone who would make fun of me…the first time was a boy two grades higher than me. After a few more…incidents, no one called me by a stupid nickname," he stuttered, looking down at me every few words.

A quiet giggle rose from the pit of my stomach as I imagined a younger Paul pummeling a shorter, yet older boy to gain his revenge. "Maybe I should try that."

Paul smirked and glanced at me again, opening his mouth to speak, but apparently deciding against it as he focused back on the road.

It seemed like only seconds later that we were pulling into my house's driveway, stopping a short distance from the porch. Paul shut off the engine and was out before I could ask him what he was doing. I hadn't even seen him cross the distance to the passenger side, but he was suddenly there, lifting Peter off me. Peter's head fell back while his legs hung over Paul's arm.

"I can carry him now. It's only into the house," I offered, lifting my arms up and waving my fingers. Paul shot a quick glance over my figure, lingering on my hands before he started walking up the porch steps without another word. _Great. Someone else who doesn't think I can take care of myself._ Paul's concern was a good and bad thing at the same time. His protectiveness meant that he did care about me and he would always have to be with me to make sure I was ok, but on the other hand I didn't need another father. I honestly didn't know what to think of it just yet.

I made my way around Paul and in front of the door, pulling out my keys from another one of my many trench coat pockets. The keys jingled in my hand as I searched for the correct one, finally finding it soon after and unlocking the door. I swung the door in and led Paul to the living room, where, not at all to my surprise, my parents were sitting huddled together, watching a reporter that was holding down his hat against a snowy wind. They both looked away from the television at the same time, a look of surprise hitting them as they saw Paul's hulking frame carrying Peter's limp body.

"Hey Mom. Hey Dad. Do you want Peter on the couch or his bed?" I said, wanting to break the sudden awkward silence.

Mom gave us a small smile and nodded her head. "It would be a very big favor if you could put him in his room. We're too exhausted to carry him, so if you don't mind…" she trailed off, playing with a strand of her brown locks.

I mouthed a 'thank you' to her and motioned for Paul to follow me. We traipsed up the steps, turning to the right and walking down the hall to Peter's room. I opened the door and held my arm out in front of me, gesturing for Paul to go ahead. Paul understood my meaning and stepped into the room, setting Peter down carefully on his covers. He looked back at me questioningly, silently asking if Peter was fine the way he was. I nodded and reached in to grab his rough hand and tugged him out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Thanks for everything Paul. Today was wonderful," I whispered, leaning against the railing of the stairs.

Paul's breathtaking grin made my knees go weak, the railing the only thing currently keeping me upright. "The pleasure was all mine. Do you mind if I take a look at your phone?" he asked, a slight smirk on the corners of his lips.

I frowned in confusion, but handed him my phone and waited to see what he would do with it. He took out a black small cell phone from his back pocket and dialed a few buttons in my own phone. A second later his phone began quivering in his hand and he quickly flipped it open and tapped a few buttons on his own phone.

"There. I got your number," he chuckled, offering my phone back to me with his open hand. I laughed and tried to snatch my phone from his hand, but Paul trapped my fingers with his strong hand and pulled me roughly against his smoldering and chiseled chest, taking a deep breath against my hat. _Is he sniffing me? Well…I guess we're even now._

"Bye Hannah," Paul whispered. With that, he tore himself away from me and trotted down the stairs. "I'll call you tomorrow," he called over his shoulder. I watched his retreating figure until the front door shut behind him, cutting him completely from my view. The sudden loneliness hit me like a rushing waterfall, sweeping through every cell in my body. _How am I going to survive a whole day without seeing him?_

My mother appeared from the living room, staring at the door with her arms crossed across her chest. "I guess I was wrong about him. You were right; We should have trusted your judgment. Your father and I discussed this…_situation_ and we decided that you can continue dating him if you'd like to, but that doesn't mean that we still won't worry about you sometimes." She finally turned to me, her face proud, but a small hint of loneliness was barely visible in her eyes. "You are still our little Hannah after all," she whispered, smiling sadly at me.

I rushed down the stairs and threw my arms around her, kissing her on the cheek before I pulled away. "Don't worry Mom, I'll never stop being your Hannah."

Mom laughed and patted my cheek, turning around as my father entered the foyer, leaning against the wall. He sighed and looked at me apologetically. "We're very sorry about judging him Hannah. We've raised you and Peter to be the complete opposite of what we were today and we pride ourselves in that. We promise to stay out of your future relationships, whatever our first impressions may be." He paused for a moment and a small flame of emotion flickered in his eyes. "But if _any_ guy hurts you, don't expect him to be able to _walk_ anywhere for quite a long time."

I laughed and hugged Dad, kissing his scruffy cheek like I had my mother's. Dad smiled at me and returned to the living room, Mom close behind him as she grabbed a fistful of his jacket.

"Good night guys. Love you," I shouted to my parents as I climbed the stairs.

"Night!" the unified answer echoed up the stairs.

I distractedly changed and got myself ready for bed, my thoughts leagues away.

As I laid down in my bed, the amazing events from today came flooding into my mind and I knew that I would be dreaming about them indefinitely tonight.

* * *

**Man, Hannah's parents were harsh :[**

**All right, so I've already sent the next chapter to my beta, but that doesn't mean it's going to be up in a day or two. LuvLikeJesus29 is an amazing beta _because_ of her time spent on each chapter, but I'm sure we'll get it up sooner than later ;)**

**--Mary**


	8. A Different Side

**I love this chapter! I'm not entirely sure why, but I had a lot of fun writing this. Maybe it's just because I'm a goofball. :D**

**This chapter's actually kind of a turning point in the story. You might understand what I mean in the end, but then again you might not. Next chapter will clear it up for everyone who doesn't get what I'm trying to say. **

**All righty then, enjoy!**

**

* * *

****Chapter 8 – A Different Side**

Mrs. Hunt, the Anatomy teacher, glanced up at the clock behind us, after which she smiled and sunk down into her chair. She pointed a long finger at the opposite wall and leaned back in her seat. Nobody even bothered to turn around since we all knew this signal all too well. We only had ten more minutes in her class before the bell rang for seventh period. _Mrs. Hunt is officially my favorite teacher. Well, I'm sure she's everyone's favorite._ Mrs. Hunt always gave the classes the last ten minutes of the period to talk while she sat at her desk grading papers or reading a book. It was a humongous relief to at least have one faculty member that showed the students a little mercy.

Someone cleared their throat loudly beside me, adding a few coughs to the end of their act. I turned my head to meet Mandy's shining eyes, mirroring her excited face-splitting grin. "Did you need something?" I asked teasingly, awaiting her squeals.

Mandy's smile grew impossibly wider as she scrunched up her nose and shook her head quickly. "Oh, Hannah. I am so happy for you. This is even more exciting than America's Next Top Model!" she sputtered, her voice turning into a high-pitched squeal.

Mandy had already received all the details of my date yesterday during lunch, including the new information I learned. I had to glare at her to keep her quiet long enough for me to finish, leaving her bouncing excitedly in her seat. After I had finished describing the entire day, she had jumped out of her seat and threw her arms around me, almost knocking the both of us onto the cafeteria floor. "You found your perfect match! You are so lucky!" she had exclaimed into my ear, shaking me a few times. When the bell rang, I had to pry her off me, but I couldn't hide the smile that refused to go away. I was beginning to think my mouth was stuck in that position permanently.

Now, just one period away from leaving this prison, I was starting to feel just as jittery as Mandy. Most guys would wait at least two days before calling the girl back, but then again, Paul wasn't like other people. He had told me he would call me today, so I believed him. _More than I probably should._

"If he calls you today, please wear something I would pick out. Now that the first date's over, you can go all out on him!" Mandy explained, nodding her head.

Her comment brought me back to Saturday, when Mom had thought I was trying to seduce Paul. _Maybe I could try that today. Whoa Hannah. Don't get carried away. Besides, I doubt I could seduce anyone anyway. Maybe some other day, when I've known Paul longer. Maybe…_

"Aww, you're blushing! This is like straight out of a romance novel," Mandy sighed, resting her elbow on the table and leaning her cheek against her fist. She stared at me dreamy-eyed, an idiotic grin on her face.

"Oh, come on, Mandy. I bet you could find a sweet guy in seconds if you wanted to. All you'd have to do is walk up to him and he'd become your slave," I giggled quietly.

"That's just it though. Guys never talk to me if I try to start a conversation. They just stand there and stare at me, making me feel like an idiot. No guy has ever come up to _me_. Man, you are so lucky. I'm actually kind of jealous. You didn't even have to do anything and you found a sweet hottie," she said, rolling her eyes and replacing her smile with a pout.

I felt sorry for Mandy instantly. Here I was, going on and on about the perfect guy and she was feeling left out. Then I remembered something that would surely cheer Mandy up. "I forgot to tell you, some boy asked me about you during lunch," I snickered playfully.

Mandy stayed in her same slouching position, but her pout widened into a little smile. "Let me guess, he's too scared to talk to me? Oh, no wait, I bet he decided I wasn't his type or something like that."

"Actually, he asked me what you did in the morning so he could find you. I'm guessing he plans on talking to you tomorrow. He's pretty cute too, definitely in your league and he was really nice too," I said nonchalantly, glancing at Mandy to see her reaction. She was back to her excited self, her perfect eyebrows raised up high. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see now, won't we?"

We both started laughing and giggling, completely oblivious to the curious stares everyone gave us. The bell rang seconds later, ending our pleasant conversation. We packed our supplies while still laughing, merging into the crowd of students out into the hallway. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mandy!" I called over the roar of voices, winking at her before jogging down the hall to History.

*~*~*~*

I tapped my foot on the headboard of the bed, mouthing the lyrics to the song blaring in my ears. My eyes flew across the words on the pages of my book, absorbing every meaning with ease. Lifting my head from the foot of my bed, I checked the clock again. I groaned when I saw it was still only three o'clock, only twenty minutes after school had ended.

At that moment, the music that I had come to adore rang loudly from my nightstand, causing me to jump up and fling myself on top of my pillows as I reached for the phone. I flipped it open with a flick of my thumb, pressing the cool metal against my ear.

"Hello?"

_"Hey, Hannah,"_ Paul's melting voice answered. I pulled myself into a sitting position, patting down my hair even though I knew he wouldn't be able to see me right now.

"Oh, what's up, Paul?" I asked coolly, attempting to sound surprised by his call.

_"Uh…are you doing anything tonight?"_

"No," I barely managed to breathe out, the butterflies in my stomach starting to emerge from their cocoons.

_"Do you want to go to the movies with me?"_

"There's a theater in La Push?" This little reservation's biggest store was the supermarket a few miles away, so how in the world did they have a theater?

_"No, actually we would have to go to Port Angeles," _Paul chuckled. _"That's kind of why I called you so early."_

"Ok, sure. What time are you going to be here?"

_"How soon can you be ready?"_ I could picture the half smile that would have formed on his lips then.

"Fifteen minutes?" I ended the answer as a question, hoping the time didn't seem too desperate.

_"Perfect. I'll see you soon."_

"All right." Slamming the phone shut and throwing it on a pillow, I rolled off the bed and crashed into my closet door. _Crap, crap, crap! Dammit Mandy, where are you when I need you?_ I closed my eyes and forced myself to take calming breaths, moving my arms up and down at the rate of my breathing. _If I were Mandy, what would I choose?_ Opening my eyes just enough so I could see the clothing, I searched for something that would be considered "going all out." It was much too cold for anything short, so I shoved the short shorts and spaghetti-straps aside. When I found a form-fitting forest green turtleneck, I unhooked it from the rack and tossed it onto my bed. Trying to remember what colors went with green, I skimmed through the jeans. I smiled when I glimpsed a pair of black skinny jeans, an almost identical pair as the ones I had worn yesterday._ They seemed to work yesterday._ Unhooking them as well and grabbing my shirt, I ran for the bathroom, relieved to find no one in it.

After deciding against a shower since I had taken one after gym, I changed into my new outfit and brushed my hair quickly, attaching a clip to one side to keep it from falling into my face. I was sure I would regret that when I wanted to hide behind my hair, but then again I didn't want it in the way when I was trying to look at Paul. _I know, subtle right?_

With only five minutes left before Paul arrived, I scurried around my room for my last minute accessories, which included my green flats and a decent jacket. I remembered how Paul always seemed to keep me warm and knew that a fluffy coat would be a little too much. The turtleneck that surrounded my neck took the place of a scarf and I didn't dare waste time trying to find a hat in the pile of clothing by my closet.

I heard the sound of tires on the driveway just as I was elbowing my arms into my navy blue jacket. A smile that caused my jaws to throb crept onto my lips as I trotted out of my room and down the stairs. Before I reached the door, I poked my head into the kitchen, where Mom was reaching on her tiptoes for a bottle of spices. I giggled and decided to help her, tapping her shoulder and grabbing the bottle for her.

"Thank you, sweetie. I'm glad you got the height gene from your father. Honestly, what would I do without you around?" she smiled at me, unscrewing the top of the bottle.

"You could always buy a step ladder," I teased, laughing as she scowled at me. "Anyway, I'm going out, ok? I promise to be back at a reasonable time and I have my cell phone if you need me."

Mom nodded and walked around me to the stove. "Have fun."

I couldn't have asked for a better response from her, so I left it at that. The doorbell rang right when Mom began sprinkling powder into a pot, bringing me back to the upcoming evening. With a final wave to my mother, I loped to the front door, pushing myself out without opening it all the way.

Paul backed up a few steps, giving me just enough space to close the door behind me. He gawked at me, not-so-subtly eyeing my figure. I felt odd under his tender gaze, but I didn't know whether his wide eyes were a good or bad thing. Of course my body acted on its own, heating every inch of my skin until I felt like I was in an oven. I was sure my cheeks were cherry red, attracting Paul's attention. While he was busy staring me down, I looked him over quickly, lingering on his arms and chest. The maroon button-up shirt he had on barely held in his muscles, outlining his chiseled stomach and arms. Three of the top buttons were left undone, which is where I stared the longest. When I reluctantly forced my eyes back to his face, he met my awed eyes. He cleared his throat and a small blush colored his brown cheeks a slightly darker shade.

"Err…sor…are you, uh, ready to go?" he stuttered nervously, offering me his hand.

_Be brave Hannah! No more blushing!_ I smiled sweetly at him, taking his hand and waiting for him to lead us to his truck. He smiled my favorite toothy grin and tugged me closer to him, our arms now brushing against each other. With that he walked down the five porch steps and stopped in front of the passenger side of his truck, opening the door for me and letting go of my hand. I pulled myself in sideways, sliding into the middle of the long seat. Paul shut the door and was in his seat within seconds, starting up the engine quickly. He leaned back and turned to look out the back window as he backed out, grinning the entire time.

"You look, um…nice," he said, clearly a little embarrassed since he wouldn't make eye contact with me.

_I will not blush. I will not blush. I will not blush._ I recited the mantra in my head, frowning in concentration as I tried to keep the blood from rushing to my cheeks. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself," I laughed, hoping my humor would cover my obvious embarrassment. _Yeah right. He looks hot! I swear if I wasn't so scared that he would run away screaming I would have probably jumped him on the porch. I'll at least have to wait until I know how he feels about me…man, this sucks. Damn hormones…_

Paul's finger tapped on the steering wheel, his forehead creased with numerous wrinkles, as if he were thinking about something complicated. He glanced at me without turning his head, quickly averting his gaze when he saw me staring right back. Smiling to myself, I summoned every ounce of courage within me and reached out my left hand, grabbing his free right hand. I swear I had never heard myself breath so hard. Paul flinched in surprise, but only for the tiniest fraction of a second. He tilted his head so he could see me while still watching the road, a warm smile on his face. _Good thing I'm not standing. He'd probably think I'm an idiot if I just randomly fell over._

"So…what's your favorite movie?" I asked, launching us into yet another game of questions. We went on and on about everything we could think of. At one point he even asked me if I knew how to juggle. I wasn't really sure why he wanted to know so many things about me, but as long as I had an excuse to ask him anything, I honestly didn't care.

"You're kidding right? You've never had a dog? It's every kid's dream to have a puppy!" I laughed, leaning towards the dashboard to get a better look at his facial expression.

"I guess I never really cared. Even if I had wanted one I doubt my parents would have given me one. They'd probably just tell me to go get a job at the pound if I wanted a dog so badly," he shrugged, chuckling quietly to himself.

I pouted and scooted back against the seat. I hadn't really paid attention to our hands since I had first grabbed his, but now that I was looking at them I noticed I was tracing his open palm, running my fingers down each of his and back to his wrist in a continuous circle. It felt so natural that I hadn't even had to think about my hand caressing his, almost as if it were by instinct. He hadn't objected to it so far, so I returned my focus back to him, leaving my hand to its business. "Your parents weren't exactly...attentive, were they?" Though I knew little about his parents, that much seemed clear to me.

Paul shrugged again, his face emotionless. His hand twitched as I ran my finger over a sensitive nerve. "Not really. I was never depressed about it though. I always had my other family. Sam, Jared, Jacob, and even Quil. They might have been really annoying at times, but if any of them were any different than I don't think I would have been able to get through…obstacles that came up in my life. Then again I wouldn't mind if Quil were just a bit more mature," he explained, muttering most of the time and laughing at his last sentence.

I couldn't believe that such a sweet guy had had such a rough childhood. Usually those types of people grew up to be criminals or something much worse, but not Paul. He had turned to his friends, receiving a sense of family from them instead. I made a mental note in my head to one day thank each and every one of his close friends for being there for him. _Getting a little ahead of yourself there Hannah. Who said you would ever meet his friends? Who knows, maybe he plans on breaking it off right after the movies._ I shook my head slowly, denying my pessimistic consciousness.

"No what?" I turned my head, only to see Paul staring curiously at me while glancing at the road every few seconds.

"Oh, uh…just that…I like Quil's playful vibe. I-It kind of takes a bit of pressure off whoever he's talking to. Like when I first met him, I wasn't so intimidated by him. S-so he's good the way he is. I mean…yeah," I stuttered, internally kicking myself for being a horrible liar. _Man, I suck at making up lies!_

Turning my head to look out the windshield, I glanced at Paul's face from my peripherals. He had turned completely forward, his eyebrows practically pushed together over his eyes. As my hand restarted its course along his, I could feel the tense joints under his skin. _Aw crap! I just sounded like I have a thing for Quil, didn't I? Stupid, stupid, stupid, Hannah!_

"I-It's a good thing Claire's just as energetic or she wouldn't be able to keep up with him. I guess that sort of makes them perfect for each other. And they act like they're head over heels for each other, too. I honestly couldn't imagine Claire or Quil with anyone but each other," I continued, trying to make my voice sound as nonchalant as possible. From the little I could see of him, I saw his eyebrows lift slowly, eventually returning to their original position. His hand also relaxed, the hard lines across it softening.

"Yeah, you're right," he whispered, sending a tickling shiver down my back. "Are you cold?"

I shook my head, unwilling to trust my voice at that moment. We stayed in a peaceful silence for the remainder of the trip, which lasted all of five minutes.

"We're here," Paul announced while he guided the truck into a parking space in front of the theater.

"All ready? It's only 3:40."

Paul smiled sheepishly, opening his door and sliding down onto his feet. I frowned and turned to my door, grabbing the handle just as it flew open. "Do you do everything fast? You eat fast, drive fast, walk fast! I feel like a slug compared to you," I huffed, gesturing wildly with my flying arms. Paul's smile widened and he grabbed me around my waist, pulling me down onto the ground beside him.

"Sorry, it's an old habit. I'll try to slow down for you, but I can't guarantee the eating part," he laughed, lacing his fingers through mine as he closed the door. I couldn't even remember why I was frustrated when he pulled me closer to him and draped one arm around my shoulders. We walked (at my pace) to the front of the theater, passing by every movie poster that decorated the tall cement walls. Paul pointed out every 'chick flick' poster we passed, asking me if I'd like to see one of them. I pretended to gag when he showed me one of a beautiful woman surrounded by men who were practically panting over her.

"You're definitely different," he chuckled as we moved on to the next poster. I looked up at him to make sure his comment had been a good one. He raised his eyebrows and said, "That's not a bad thing, promise." I was surprised that he had understood me without my having to say anything, but he returned my attention back to the walls.

Once, I saw Paul linger in front of a gory action movie advertisement, but he moved on without a word, scanning the next movie.

"Let's see this one," I declared, tugging on his shirt to pull him back to the action movie poster. His eyes brightened as he looked from the ad to me, squinting his eyes skeptically. "Are you sure? It looks pretty bloody. There'll be a lot of guts spilling everywhere," he said, pointing to a picture in the background of the ad of a man missing his arm.

"Puh-lease. I like gory movies. Can we see it? Or are you too scared?" I scoffed, ducking under his arm and standing with a fist on my hip in front of the poster. Paul let out a few breathless chuckles, leaning forward to wrap both of his limbs around me, pushing me roughly against his hard chest. He bent his head until he was breathing across my ear, tucking my hair behind my ear with one hand. "I _love _gory movies," he whispered in my ear.

I didn't know what was so heart-stopping about that four word sentence, but something about it made me lose my control over my body. I felt my knees jutting out from under me, causing me to lose my balance and slide down Paul's torso. His arms tightened around me, stopping me before I got too far down. He pulled me back up to my full height, holding me a few inches off the ground. "Hannah, are you hurt?"

"N-n-no," I stuttered softly, pressing my chin against my chest. Paul lowered me until I was firmly on the ground, keeping his arms around me securely. "My knees just buckled…I don't know w-why." I reached behind me and pried his arms off my back, keeping a hold on his fingertips as I stepped away from him. "See? Perfectly capable of walking," I said, dropping his hands and doing a slow twirl in front of him.

Paul sighed and with one step was next to me, snaking his arm over my shoulders again. "Let's go before we miss the movie," he said while watching me carefully.

Paul bought both of our tickets, much to my disapproval, and we headed inside to grab a drink and snacks. "Seriously Paul, you have got to let me pay for something. _I'll_ buy the food this time and don't even think about saying you're not hungry," I scolded him, poking him playfully on his side.

Paul didn't reply, but it looked to me like he was biting his cheek to fight back a smile. As we slowly made our way through the displays of snacks, I noticed almost everyone in the theater was staring at us. It made me a little nervous to see all the model-like girls here glaring at me. _Is my hair a mess? Oh no. I have something on me, don't I?_ I separated myself from Paul and tried to look over my entire frame without giving away what I was doing, but when I found nothing and looked back up at the girls, they were glaring daggers at me. I didn't even know what to think of the guy's stares. There was something hungry-like in their eyes, combined with an immense amount of jealousy. The jealous looks seemed to be totally directed at Paul and I could see why they would be a little threatened by him. _But why the heck are they looking at me like they're starving bears?_

"What's wrong?" Paul asked, crossing the small walkway between the stands of candy with my drink and his.

"I…I think everyone's staring at us. Maybe I'm just being narcissistic, but…" I trailed on, nodding my head slowly to the crowd of people in the building. Paul followed my gesture, scanning the sea of faces curiously. He frowned once his eyes landed on a group of boys my age who were whispering among themselves. He turned back to me, stepping behind me and handing me my soda. "We have to get to our seats now," he muttered distractedly, his hard stare focused on the boys, as he pushed me towards the cash register.

"Ok, ok. I'm going," I huffed, walking to a cashier, who looked only a year or two older than me, that was also staring at the two of us. He didn't seem to realize that we were heading towards him until we were just a foot away. He ran his hand through his blonde hair, pushing it out of his eyes. He forced his eyes away from my figure, a foolish grin on his face. _I must look like an idiot._

"Hi. My name's Derek. How may I help you?" he smiled, leaning towards me from across the counter where my drink and Paul's were. There was something about the way he had spoke that sent a creeping chill down my legs, shaking them involuntarily. I felt Paul's hand at my shoulder stiffen and then he was suddenly beside me, shielding me a bit.

Derek scowled at Paul, standing to his full height before him. Even with his back as straight as possible, he wasn't anywhere near as tall as Paul. I squeezed myself in front of Paul, glancing up at him quickly. The ferocity of his features was frightening, his body language clearly screaming "Stay the hell away!" Of course, being me, I wasn't scared at all, but I was a little worried about this Derek guy.

"Um, nice to meet you. We're just getting two large drinks and one large popcorn," I said, forcing a small smile to my lips.

Derek looked back down at me, giving Paul a retreating snickering smile. "Sure thing. So, what's your name?"

"Hannah…and this is Paul," I replied politely, keeping the smile plastered on my face.

"Ok, Hannah, that'll be nine dollars and seventy-nine cents." Derek flashed a wide grin at me, raising one of his golden-colored eyebrows.

As I reached for my back pocket, I saw Derek's eyes follow my hands, widening once he actually landed on my pocket. He trailed south from there, scanning every inch of my legs. _Dear God, why didn't you stop me from wearing this?_

A low growl behind me caught my attention, causing me to pause in my search for my wallet. Before I could even look up at him, Paul stepped farther ahead of me, wrapping one of his arms protectively around me. He pinned me to his side, hovering over me. Derek raised his eyes from me once again, glaring at Paul's hulking form. Paul tugged at something at the back of his jeans (which I only knew because I could feel his hip move slightly to adjust his grip) and slammed a ten-dollar bill on the counter. He snatched my drink and thrust it in front of me, waiting until I grabbed it to take his too. He switched his drink to the hand that was around me, grabbing the tub of popcorn with his free arm and pulling me along with him to our designated theater.

I had to scramble to keep up with his long quick strides, having to jump a few times just to keep myself from falling. When we were in the theater and found a row of empty seats in the middle of the room, he finally let me go, following me to the center of the row. Once we were seated and we had placed our drinks in the cup holders, I decided to make good use of the few minutes we had before the previews started. "What the heck was that all about, Paul?" I wasn't really mad or anything, just a little frustrated that he would be so rude to a nice guy who was just doing his job.

Paul's still furrowed eyebrows raised slightly as he turned his furious eyes on me. "What do you mean? Didn't you see the way that asshole was eyeing you like a piece of meat?" he growled, his fists shaking on his lap. Actually, all of him seemed to be quivering a little.

"He was not! It's his job to make small talk with the customers and he can't help it if that includes eye contact," I retorted, keeping my voice down to a whisper.

"Oh come on Hannah! The last thing he was thinking about was talking. You can't tell me you didn't see him watching your every move. He was so obvious!"

I was finally seeing the rude side of Paul, the one Claire had warned me about. I couldn't believe that the sweet Paul I knew was the same guy that had just _growled_ at an innocent cashier. "Be serious Paul. Out of all the girls here, do you really think he would focus on me? There were girls out there that looked like swimsuit models for goodness sake!" I whispered frustratingly, crossing my arms and leaning back against my seat.

Paul was quiet for a minute, though I could hear his rough breathing slowing down to a calm and even pace. I knew he was back to his relaxed self when I couldn't hear him huffing through his nose, but I kept my eyes on the humongous screen before us. I felt Paul lean closer to me and he whispered, "I'm sorry, Hannah. I didn't mean to snap like that, it's just…I don't like the way those guys were looking at you. You don't know how beautiful you look right now and everyone out there clearly noticed. Believe it or not, but you _are_ the most beautiful girl here."

I didn't even know what to say to Paul's declaration. I was so happy that he thought of me that way that I almost started crying. _You have got to be kidding me! I'm crying?!_ I wiped the hot tears off my cheek, shaking my head shamefully. I just had to cry _now_.

"Hannah? Are you crying? Did I hurt you? I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have lost control like that. I'm so sorry," Paul sputtered, putting the popcorn on the seat beside him and reaching across the armrest to me. His warm hands enveloped my cheeks, his thumbs wiping the tears from my face.

"No, i-it's not that. I don't even k-know why I'm c-crying," I sniffed, suddenly regretting my decision to keep my hair back with a clip._ I knew it. Stupid stubborn brain._

Paul's worried eyes never left my face, running over every inch of skin. I kept my eyes down, locking them on a piece of gum on the floor. In a quick blur, Paul pushed the armrest up and grabbed me around my waist, scooting me over until I was as close to him as I could get without actually sitting on him. He left one arm around my back and the other laying across my lap, securing me beside him. "I really am sorry, Hannah," he whispered against my hair, resting his head on top of mine.

I sniffled once more, drying the rest of the tears with my hands. "You didn't do anything, you overprotective giant," I muttered, laying my head against his shoulder. I felt rather than heard Paul laugh softly, readjusting his head on mine.

"If it'll make you feel better, I'll let you pay next time," he chuckled quietly. I laughed breathlessly, smacking him playfully on his chest. "Ow," he muttered with a smirk, patting the spot where I had just hit him and then returning his arm to my lap.

The lights in the theater dimmed and the previews began, officially ending our bickering. We watched in silence as three movie trailers played on the large screen, occasionally chewing a bit of popcorn. Well, Paul would throw handfuls of popcorn into his mouth and swallow it seconds later, so he was really doing all the eating. Once the actual movie started, the popcorn tub was already half empty and decreasing rapidly as Paul continued to stuff as much popcorn in his mouth as possible.

The movie was, as Paul had warned me, _extremely_ bloody. I honestly didn't know how it was possible for someone to hold so much blood inside themselves. However, I wasn't lying when I said I liked gory movies, so I wasn't as bothered as all of the other girls in the theater that would scream or squeal an "ew" every time someone was decapitated or run over by a car which splashed their insides all over the screen. There were even a few moments where I had to bite my lip just to keep myself from laughing at the easily freaked out girls.

"Did you see that? That was awesome! I can't believe one little shot blew up his whole head! What a wuss!" I gasped a little too loudly, but the screams from the other girl's overlapped my yelling. At some point during the movie, I had sat up from my leaning position against Paul, sitting on the very edge of my seat. I had already taken off my jacket on account of how hot I was in the warm theater plus my constant movement. I had managed to hold down my excited yells to one word gasps, but the gun fight that had just passed broke through my final barrier of control and made me jump in my seat, throwing my hands up in the air and yelling.

Paul's eyebrows seemed to be permanently stuck in their raised position, only moving to lift themselves higher up his forehead. I looked back at him to hear his answer to my question, smiling excitedly from the adrenaline rush in me. "Yeah, pretty cool," he laughed, shaking his head slowly.

I pushed myself back in my seat, grabbing my soda and taking another long gulp. The straw made a broken sucking sound halfway through my swig. I shook the cup, only to hear the ice cubes clack against each other. _Dang it. I'm still thirsty._

"Hey, Paul, I'm going to go get a refill," I said, rising out of my seat in a crouch so I wouldn't bother the movie goers behind us.

Paul gripped my arm with his scorching hand, leaning forward to whisper in my ear. "I'll go for you. You're enjoying the movie too much to miss any of it."

I smiled at him, releasing myself from his hand and throwing my arms around him. He fell back against his seat with a small grunt thanks to my tackle. _I'm starting to like this adrenaline boost. _"Thanks, but I really have to _go_," I insisted, picking myself up from on top of him, hoping he would get the hint that I needed to use the bathroom as well. Paul nodded his head and helped me to my feet, mouthing, "Hurry and be careful."

I rolled my eyes and stood up while hunching my shoulders, grateful that we were the only people in our row. I hurried down the row, then the aisle, and out the door to the bathroom, all the while keeping myself as small as possible so as to not attract attention. When I emerged from the theater, I straightened up, tugging at the bottom of my shirt to fix any wrinkles that had appeared during my dash. I walked briskly to the bathroom near the entrance of the building, smiling at the various people I passed.

The bathroom was pretty much empty, only a mother and her young daughter there to use the restroom as well. I went into the nearest stall, using the bathroom quickly and washing my hands once I was finished. When I left the bathroom and headed to the drinks stand, I realized I had left my cup in the theater. _How are you supposed to get a refill without the cup? Moron. _Before I could take even one step back to the theater, someone flung themselves in my path, causing me to gasp and take a step back.

"I didn't mean to scare you, but you look like you're lost."

"Oh, hi, Derek. No actually I was just going back to the movie to get my drink," I explained, pulling myself together after that little scare. I could feel Derek's eyes on me as I readjusted the turtleneck, scratching at an itch near my collarbone.

"Then, I'll go with you. I'm sure I could help you skip in line so you won't have to wait," he muttered, leaning forward and covering one side of his mouth with his hand as if he were telling me a secret. _I knew Paul was wrong. He's just helping a girl out._

"Well, if you wouldn't mind, I mean if it'll endanger your job then I wouldn't want you to-," I was interrupted by Derek's index finger covering my mouth, stopping my talking. He waved his hand and bowed mockingly, looking at me expectantly. My mouth shaped into an 'o' as I understood what he wanted, starting the walk to the theater. Derek stayed a step behind me for most of the walk, his eyes burning holes into my back. _It's not his fault. You have to look at the person you're walking behind._

When we turned the corner into the corridor of theaters, Derek jogged ahead of me, stopping right in front of me. I slowed to a stop, a foot of distance between us. "Are you dating that guy you were with?" he asked me abruptly, not even waiting for me to ask him why he had stopped.

I chewed on my bottom lip, not sure myself whether I was or not. "Well…I'm not really sure. This is only our second date, so we haven't really talked about our relationship," I clarified, shrugging slightly when Derek tilted his head to the side.

"So you're not his girlfriend?"

"Um, I-I don't know. I'm not exactly experienced in dating so I wouldn't know whether I am or not. So…I guess…no?" I rambled, trying to put my confusion into words.

Derek smiled and sighed with relief. "Good. I thought that you might be seeing him and I wouldn't even have a chance with you," he laughed, taking a tiny step to me.

"Oh. Oh no. I'm sorry Derek, but I don't think I can go on a date with you. You see, I _want_ a relationship with Paul and I'm pretty sure that means I'm not supposed to date other people," I asserted.

Derek's smile wavered, but it was quickly replaced with a cocky smirk. He took another small step closer, this time leaning in with his move. "Oh come on, you can at least give me a try, right? I bet I'm a much better date than that guy."

Before I could deny him again, the door to a nearby theater slammed open and I heard the chatter of a crowd coming into the corridor. Since I was facing away I couldn't see where the people were coming from, but I was hoping it would be from my movie. The cluster of people walked by us, taking up most of the narrow hall. A few boisterous boys were jumping on each other, bumping into everyone around them. One boy was caught off guard by another, hopping to the side to dodge his friend's swinging arm and slamming into me. I was pushed forward, expecting to fall onto the floor, but instead I fell against a soft wall.

I looked up at my savior, shutting my mouth tight once I saw who it was.

Derek's smirk widened until it was covering most of his face, his arms snaking around my waist. "So I guess you changed your mind?" he whispered in a way that I'm sure was meant to be seductive, but truly sounded creepy.

I shook my head vigorously, pushing against his chest. "I'm sorry, Derek, but I like Paul. I want to keep seeing _him_."

Derek's arms tightened around me until I couldn't squirm even an inch, immobilizing every part of my body except my head. "I think I could change your mind," he mumbled, leaning down towards me. He brought one hand to the back of my neck and closed his eyes, forcing me to stare straight at him. "Derek! Stop!" I protested loudly, gasping once I felt his other hand traveling down my back, closer and closer to my butt. I closed my eyes and pursed my lips, hoping that Derek would abruptly vanish.

The constricting arms around my waist suddenly disappeared and I was somehow standing alone now. I heard a growl and then a sickly crunching noise, followed closely by a yelping cry. I opened one eye slowly, curiosity taking over. Paul's gigantic figure was directly in front of me, towering over a crumpled-over Derek. The yelping was coming from Derek, who was holding his face with both hands. I could see blood seeping from between his fingers, dripping onto the floor in little puddles. Paul seemed fine, but his entire frame was quivering viciously, almost as if he were vibrating. One of his arms was pulled back, inching closer to Derek slowly.

I rushed forward, slamming into Paul's side and pushing on his raised arm. "Let's go Paul," I muttered through my clenched teeth, dragging him after me to the exit. It was like trying to move a boulder with nothing but my bare hands, futilely using all my strength to try and inch it forward. "Paul, please," I pleaded, standing on my tiptoes to try and reach his eye level. He turned his fierce eyes onto me, their usual chocolate color a dark and murky brown. I tugged on the front of his untucked shirt, taking a step backwards towards the exit.

Paul fumed for half a minute, his gaze glued to my eyes. Finally, when I was beginning to think he would just walk around me and beat Derek to a pulp, he stepped closer to me, grabbing my right wrist with his left hand. I didn't waste any time asking questions; I just wanted to get me and Paul out of there as quickly as possible.

After I had picked up my jacket from the floor near Derek (where Paul must have dropped it when he punched him), we trudged past the numerous people that were running towards Derek with horrified eyes, quickly exiting before anyone could stop us. I continued guiding him until we reached his truck, where I stopped and turned to Paul. I remembered he had stuffed his keys into his front pocket, but I wasn't really sure if trying to grab them would be considered crossing the line. He didn't seem to be in a condition well enough to drive, but then again I wasn't exactly either. Paul must have followed my gaze and known immediately what I wanted because he started shaking his head, turning on his heels and stomping to the driver's side of the truck. The darkness around us didn't help my attempt to stop him, especially since the few street lamps that were located around us didn't illuminate our parking spot.

I sighed and pulled myself into the truck, hearing both our doors slam at the same time. In a few smooth and swift movements, Paul started the truck and was driving down the busy main street, his quivering reduced to a twitching that racked his body every five seconds. I stayed as quiet as possible in the silent truck, unsure whether I should be comforting him or screaming in fear. Though I wasn't necessarily scared, a part of my brain constantly reasoned that any normal person would jump out of the truck and run away as fast as their legs could take them. The majority of my brain, however, was, and had been for the past five days, focused entirely on staying near Paul.

After what seemed like hours of silence, but must have been only about ten minutes, I felt the truck swerve, heading into the grassy area beside the road. The engine died down as soon as we were completely off the street, leaving us in total darkness. I heard a small click at the same time that a light on the roof of the truck turned on, casting a soft light around us.

For some reason, my knee felt as if it were wrapped in an electrical wire, but the shocking sensation that I felt was nothing like the pain that someone usually felt when electrocuted. I leaned forward to get a better look at my knee, which was still in a shadow, and was surprised to see Paul's hand on it. My eyes wandered up his arm, over his mouth-watering muscles, and finally landed on his face. A parade of emotions crossed his face, ranging from guilt to disappointment to anger.

"Hannah," he sighed my name, making my heart beat twice as fast, "I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I don't think there are enough words in the human language to express my apology. I'm an idiot. And a jackass. I told you I wouldn't lose my control again, but I did not even two hours after I had promised to you. I told you I had a reputation for having a temper, but I never wanted you to see it. I've been trying to work on my control ever since I met you and I thought I was doing an ok job so far. I'll do whatever it takes to get you to forgive me, even go back there and let the guy get a few punches out of me himself. I can even-." I stopped him before he could launch into an hour long apology, pulling my knees onto the seat and using them as springs to throw myself at him for a hug.

He flinched when I landed on him, but quickly composed himself and imitated my binding arms. I left my face buried in his neck, taking in everything about him that I could before I would eventually be forced to separate myself from him. He rubbed my back up and down my spine, apparently soothing himself more than me. I didn't ever want to leave his embrace and I planned on staying here as long as I could. It was like my own personal heaven being wrapped in his arms, erasing every bothersome problem as if they were nothing but a fly that could easily be flicked away. Paul was my very own fly-swatter.

The lack of sleep the previous night and exhausting events of the day finally began to sink in, making my eyelids droop as if they had suddenly been turned into blocks of lead. I had to stifle a yawn before it could burst from my mouth and cover Paul's neck with my hot, and I'm sure buttery, breath. "It's ok, Paul. I don't care if you are a little temperamental. Just…" _Damn yawn_, "It won't change my impression of you in the least," I finished with a bit of difficulty as yet another yawn tried to make its way out of my mouth. _Not to mention he's kind of sexy when he's angry._ I giggled softly at my thoughts, twisting in Paul's arms until I was in a more comfortable position. Within a minute I was lost in my dreams, fantasizing about a certain territorial giant.

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**Do you get what I mean about 'turning point' now? It doesn't just say it bluntly, but it's hinted at. ;]**

**You know the drill, review, review, review!! Anything would do really.**

**--Mary**


	9. First Impressions

**Happy belated Valentine's Day!! I hope everyone got something from their sweethearts ;D**

**A****w, come on guys! Why aren't you reviewing? I'm getting alerts out the wazoo, but sadly, only very little reviews! I'm not trying to be ungrateful or anything, but can't you just review too? **

**Ok, I'll tell you what. I get, I don't know, maybe ten reviews for this chapter and I will get the next chapter out in less than one week. How about it? You guys up for it?**

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**Chapter 9 – First Impressions**

"Calm down, Hannah. It's not like they're going to attack you. The worst they can do is not like you."

I stopped my fidgeting for a moment to stare at Paul with wide eyes. "Oh really? Is that all they can do? Well then I won't mind at all. Not one bit. Nope. I really don't care if they don't like me…Ugh!" I replied sarcastically, returning to twisting my fingers together and tapping my foot on the truck floor. Paul's lips turned up into a smile and I could tell he was trying to hold back a chuckle from the way he pursed his lips. I thrust my hands under my thighs to calm their restlessness.

"It's not funny, Paul. I suck at meeting people. I always make the worst first impressions, even if I've planned out every conversation and action. They're going to hate me!" I whined, throwing my head back against the headrest.

I still couldn't believe that only five days ago I had been worried that I would never meet Paul's friends. So much had changed since Monday, including Paul himself. After he had dropped me off asleep at my house following the movies, my mother seemed to have had a change of heart. She truly did seem to like Paul now. She might not have shown it that soon, but by Wednesday she was already joking around with Paul, and she's continued every time he comes to pick me up, which had been every day this week. It was sort of reassuring in a way that my mother was getting along with him, though I wasn't entirely sure why.

Mandy was being her usual excessively encouraging self. She had toned down the amount of questions directed at me since Monday, though. As I had predicted, the boy that had asked me about her did indeed ask Mandy out. Now that Mandy's attention was split between myself and Lance (but mostly Lance), I wasn't hearing so much of the 'What are you going to do with Paul today', but more of the 'Lance did this and that'. Mandy seemed to be as obsessed with the confident, but not egotistical, quarterback as I was about my Quileute hunk. I had to admit, every time, they walked together in the hallway it looked like they had just walked out of a 'models-only' dating service catalog. Mandy was convinced that she had finally found _the_ one.

This new Paul was...confusing. One day he was a territorial gentleman and then the next he was a hilarious jerk. Don't get me wrong, I still like him, maybe even more than before if that's even possible, but it was just kind of weird seeing some of the things that I would never have imagined him doing. Like Thursday when we had gone to a park and we saw a boy that looked about fourteen doing pull-ups on the monkey bars in front of a group of cute girls. Paul had just sniggered and said, "I can't believe he thinks that impresses them. Seriously, does anyone find his facial expressions attractive? What a moron." His sudden personality swing had thrown me a bit off, but now I was quite used to his harsh comments. Who knows, maybe I'm the kind of girl that was into the whole badass thing.

Now it was Saturday afternoon and I was on my way to some bonfire thing where I would apparently meet all of Paul's close friends. _Frick, frick, frick! What am I supposed to say? Should I just keep quiet and let Paul do all the talking? What if he just wants to hang out with the 'guys' after awhile? Are there going to be other girls there? Should I have eaten before he picked me up? What's he going to do if his friends don't approve of me?_

I felt something rough and warm touch my arm, pulling my hand out from under me and enveloping it in warmth.

"It's ok, Hannah. Just be yourself and I'm sure they'll try to steal you away from me because you're so amazing," Paul insisted, intertwining his fingers with mine. I could feel the heat bubbling up to my cheeks, but I was certainly more relaxed than just moments ago.

Only minutes later, my nervousness was starting to build up again. I couldn't stop my thoughts from overtaking my entire body, which therefore led to the fidgeting again. Paul still hadn't noticed yet, which I wasn't sure was a good or bad thing. "Don't you dare abandon me. If you're not by my side the entire time, then I swear I'm going to hurt you," I blurted, pointing my right index finger at him as a dramatic effect.

Paul smiled and scooted closer to the door, which meant away from me. "Please don't. You have a mean backhand and I still have a bruise from yesterday," he mocked, referring to the incident in the truck yesterday at a pizza place in Port Angeles. I had spilled my soda all over the floor and freaked out once I realized what I had done. I had even gone as far as to hold the ice in my hands until they were numb so the truck floor wouldn't get even more soaked. Paul hadn't been much of a help at all. He just jumped out of the truck and laughed until everyone was staring at us, which just added to my embarrassment. Of course I tried to hit him for doing so, but I think I ended up hurting my hand more than his side.

I tore my hand from his and pushed myself against the passenger door until I was practically on top of it. Paul seemed surprised by my reaction at first as I glared at him. "I'm serious Paul. I refuse to look like an idiot in front of your friends," I scolded him. As soon as the last word was out of my mouth, Paul reached over and grabbed my shoulder opposite him, sliding me across the seat to him. _Good thing I stuck with the simple jeans and t-shirt outfit. If I had worn anything else that would have ended in a very embarrassing wardrobe malfunction._

"I'm kidding, Hannah. I promise I won't leave you for even a moment," he said quietly, "I was going to anyway just in case." Before I could ask what he meant with that last bit, he added in a much louder volume than before, "It looks like we're the last ones here."

I looked up to see a parking lot with quite a few cars hidden from the road by a fortress of trees. While Paul parked the truck, I slumped down in my seat, attempting to hide myself behind the dashboard. Of course, my annoyingly long legs complained as I tried to bend them in unnatural ways. Paul laughed at me and stepped out of the truck, shaking his head slightly as he walked around to the passenger side. He swung open the door and stretched his hand out to me, waving his fingers once. I knew he wanted me to come out, but I shook my head persistently and hoped that he would forget about the whole thing and take me somewhere else. There was no way I could say no to him twice in a row.

One of Paul's ink black eyebrows rose, almost like it was saying "Give it up." He reached further along the seat, wiggling his fingers wildly. I sighed and placed my right hand on his. Suddenly, I was pushed against his chest and dropped to the ground in the same second. Paul slammed the door behind me and draped his left arm around my shoulders, pressing the right side of my face against his chest. He led us across the lot and onto a narrow dirt path which seemed to lead deeper into the forest. Paul had already described to me where the bonfire would be held. It was supposed to be a section of the cliff that overlooked the beach where we had had our first picnic. I made a quick mental note to buy a pair of hiking boots and explore this area a bit more. It was impossible to imagine all the wonder I would find if I just climbed the mountains on the other side of the forest. I could already tell the view would be spectacular.

Not even two minutes down the dirt path, we heard a high-pitched voice yell from the trees to our left. "Hannah!" I turned at the exact moment that something small crashed into me, knocking me roughly against Paul. I was too shocked to react immediately, but once I shook my head and looked down at whatever was squeezing the life out of me, I sighed in relief.

"Claire, are you trying to kill me? First the assault and now you're trying to crush the oxygen out of my lungs," I muttered, trying to use as little of the air I had to get her off me. Claire pulled back with a giggle and held my hands in hers, swinging our arms side to side. Her smile was almost too bright to look at as she wrinkled her nose in excitement.

"It's about time you guys got here! Everyone's waiting for you," she peeked around me at Paul, who had kept me pushed against him in a protective hold, before continuing, "Seriously Paul. Keeping everyone waiting is so not funny."

Paul shrugged, but didn't respond to Claire's disapproving tone. Claire rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "They're all dying to meet you, Hannah. Actually, Paul's talked about you so much that Kim and Sarah were on the brink of mauling him. They want to meet the girl that can actually stand to be around Paul for more than five minutes," she laughed, tugging me away from Paul and interlocking our arms together. Paul made an annoyed noise in his throat, almost like a growl. Claire looked over our shoulders and stuck her tongue out at him. "Learn to share, Paul." Without another word from him, he grabbed my free hand and stayed on my left side while Claire pulled me farther along the path, chatting the entire way.

"Did you hear about Henry and Anna? They apparently broke up yesterday because Henry never sat with her at lunch. You know, he was always sitting with his "bros", or that's what she called them anyway, instead of her, so she finally got sick of it and just broke it off right in front of the entire school. Do you think she should have gone that far?" she asked, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

I shrugged and flipped my bangs back with a toss of my head. "Well, Henry did spend every weekend with Anna. I mean, they're always together _except_ during lunch. She was a little…I don't know…clingy I guess." I had a tingling feeling in my side once I noticed Paul was staring at me again. I tried to ignore the urge to scratch, but the longer he stared the worse it seemed to get.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. She couldn't have really expected him to drop everyone else and make her the center of his world. Good thing we don't have to worry about that, huh?" Claire sighed, a dreamy look crossing her eyes.

I glanced up at Paul, wondering what Claire meant by that last comment. Well, the look was meant to be a glance, but once I saw him, I couldn't bring myself to look away. He caught my eyes and bounced his eyebrows once. The giggle that came from me next was very unexpected, but I just let it go.

"Oh, there's everyone else," Claire said, pointing at a wide opening at the end of the trail. She pulled me a bit faster and we entered a large clearing about the size of a basketball court. I was a little surprised at how neat and organized the place looked, even with the number of people here. On the far right, there was a fire blazing high even though the sun was just beginning to set. Around the fire at a safe distance, there were smoothed down logs placed in a rough circle. Four people were sitting at the logs, two on each log. I could easily tell they were couples. On the far left corner there was a long foldable table piled with food. A few people were reaching across the table to grab food. There were a couple more people standing in various places, chatting amongst themselves.

I couldn't help but notice how almost all the men looked so much alike. They had the same brown skin and short cropped black hair. To someone who was just looking at them quickly, you honestly couldn't tell them apart. I was looking at them much more closely though. Now that I was scrutinizing their every feature, I could see a lot of differences. One had curlier hair than the others, another had really bright hazel eyes, and one was ganglier than everyone else.

From the food table, two people started walking towards us. One I recognized as Quil, but the other, I had no idea who he was. Quil gave a curt nod to Paul and greeted us, "What took you so long, Paul? Hannah?" The man next to him laughed briefly. Quil didn't really seem to notice since he was staring longingly at Claire. She noticed his look and brightened instantly as she uncurled her arm from mine and flitted to Quil's side. "Don't worry, it was just traffic, Quil," Claire giggled as she buried herself under Quil's arm.

"Finally. She's busy with something else," Paul muttered under his breath. I thought I would be the only person to hear him, but the man I still didn't know frowned disapprovingly and Quil glared at Paul. He shrugged and snaked his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

Claire cleared her throat and attracted everyone's attention to her. "Well, I just thought we might need some introductions. Hannah, this is Sam Uley. He's my uncle." She pointed to the man beside Quil. "Uncle Sam, this is-,"

"I know, Claire. Nice to meet you, Hannah. I've heard a lot about you," Sam said politely, offering his hand out to me. I took it and let him do the shaking. Though his touch didn't send that familiar shock through me, it was still a little surprising to find it was hot as Paul's.

I opened my mouth to reply, but it felt like my throat was sealed shut and refused to let out so much as a squeak. My mouth opened and closed stupidly, and everyone seemed to be waiting for me to speak. "Uh…I…," I stuttered, my blush becoming more pronounced with each second. _Why now?_

Suddenly, Paul turned me around with his arm so I was facing his side. He tightened his hold on me until I was pressed against his jade green shirt. "Sorry, Sam. Maybe we should give her a couple of minutes to get comfortable," Paul said. _Did he seriously just say that? I'm not an animal!_

Before Paul could start walking us away from the group, I pushed against him with my arms, staggering away a few steps and frowning at Paul. I turned away from him with a final glare and grabbed Sam's hand forcefully. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Uley. Don't believe everything Paul's told you about me," I said, finishing with a genuine smile.

Sam chuckled and winked behind me. "I can see how you've managed to deal with Paul now. Oh, and it's Sam, please." Letting go of his hand while nodding my head in confirmation, I glanced back at Paul, only to see him with a smug smile spread across his face.

"Oh, Hannah! You need to meet everyone else. Come on," Claire chimed, hooking her arm under mine and pulling me behind her.

On the way to the food table, Claire introduced me to Embry, Seth, and Collin. They seemed very nice, even if they were a little boisterous. So far, Seth was my favorite. Right before Claire pulled me away again, he leaned in and whispered in my ear, "I'll tell you anything you want to know about Paul, all right? Even the things he probably would never tell you himself." I nodded my head in thanks and Claire forcefully dragged me away from them.

A woman with a short brown ponytail was leaning across the table, cleaning the mess some of the boys had made. "Aunt Emily!" Claire chimed, stopping just behind Emily. She turned around and faced us, tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear. Thank God I had the sense to keep my mouth shut because I'm sure if I had started speaking, I would have gasped when she faced us full on. Three thick, red lines scarred the right side of her face from hairline to chin. They seemed like they had healed long ago, but the skin was still livid in color. Her right eye was slanted due to one of the lines and another line made it seem as if the right side of her mouth was permanently grimacing. I was sure that without the scars, she would be a beyond beautiful woman. I couldn't believe I had thought of her as only a threat and disliked her before I had even met her. Remembering that I would have to introduce myself, I mentally kicked myself for staring longer than necessary and smiled sweetly.

"Hi, I'm Hannah Berkeley. I'm guessing you're Emily? I've heard you're a wonderful cook," I complemented, hoping it would make up for my obvious stare before.

The left side of her face brightened with a smile as she gave me a quick hug. "It's great to finally meet you, Hannah. Paul's kept me waiting for quite a while. And I'm not that great a cook." _Sweet, modest, and beautiful…damn._

Emily waved her fingers at us, shooing us away. "Go on, I don't want to hog you just yet. You should at least introduce yourself to everyone first. I'll have you all to myself then," she whispered as if it were a secret between only us. I smiled back at her and took the lead to the small group between us and the bonfire.

Two men and two women laughed and giggled, occasionally poking at the other. One of the girls saw me coming and grinned widely, shushing the man beside her who was talking. "Are you, Hannah?" she asked, stepping forward slightly.

"The one and only."

The red-headed woman clapped her hands together and walked forward to envelop me in a smothering embrace. Even though she was a bit shorter than me, she was very strong. "It's about time. I was starting to get tired of waiting for Paul to bring you to us. He claimed we would just end up chasing you away. Oh, how rude of me. I'm Sarah by the way," she said, pulling away and holding me at arm's length. She turned around and left me to stand by one of the men again. Pointing to the other man, she continued, "That's Jared. Next to him is Kim," she pointed to the woman beside him, "and this one right here is Brady," she held up one of Brady's hands, indicating who he was.

"Nice to meet you." "What's up?" Kim and Jared answered in unison. Brady smirked, gesturing to Kim and Sarah with his chin and looking back at me. "Hey. Don't believe any of the gossips these two chat about," he laughed, earning himself a jab on his side from Sarah and a glare from Kim.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," I giggled, gasping when Claire pulled me away without any warning. I turned to her and asked her what the rush was. "I'm sorry, but I want to talk to you and I can't exactly do that if you still have to meet everyone," she explained, smiling apologetically.

We made our way over to the logs, stopping between the two occupied logs. I recognized one of the boys instantly as Jacob, but I had no idea who the girl sitting between his legs was. Jacob noticed me and smiled, his bright teeth contrasting his dark skin. "Hey, Hannah. Long time, no see." The girl on the ground, whipped around, her short blonde hair caught in the air around her head. She stood up and was in front of me in less than five seconds, squeezing me tightly against her. _These girls really like hugs, don't they?_

"Wow. I can't believe you're actually here. I was starting to think Paul had made you up," she said, looking me up and down quickly. "He's right. You are gorgeous."

I cleared my throat and tried to stop the blush from coloring my cheeks. "I'm sorry Paul kept you waiting, um…"

"April," she supplied, "And no need to apologize. It wasn't your fault."

Jacob suddenly said in a low tone, "Apriiil. Don't scare her." April sighed and rolled her eyes, mouthing, "Men." She turned back to Jake and sat beside him. "Whatever you say, hun."

Claire tapped my shoulder and pointed to the man and woman on the opposite log, urging me forward. I took another step closer to them, trying to make myself noticeable, but not intruding. "Um, hi. I'm being forced to introduce myself to everyone, so I guess that includes you guys. I'm Hannah Berkeley."

The woman looked up from playing with her hands, her lips pursed into a line. _Crap. I think I just got on her bad side._ She must have noticed my distress because her lips cracked into a mischievous smile. "I'm Leah. You're Paul's girl, right?" she asked bluntly.

I quickly clarified her statement. "Not really, but I did come here with him."

One of Leah's eyebrows furrowed and she scrunched her nose. "What do you mean 'not really'? You either are or you're not. So, what are you?"

_Oh, man. What am I supposed to say? _I looked down at my feet, hoping the answer would somehow pop into my head. I was pretty sure you weren't technically someone's girlfriend until they actually asked you, but then again, I wasn't an expert.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I sidestepped away from them, frightened by the sudden contact. "Oops. Sorry. I didn't think you were so easily scared," Paul laughed, raising an eyebrow at me. He looked at Leah and frowned slightly. "What's going on?"

Leah shrugged innocently and pouted mockingly. "Why do you think something's wrong? We're just wondering what Hannah is to you is all."

I used my peripherals to glance at Paul, only to see him looking from me to Leah to me again. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and pulled me after him, practically charging for the trees. A yelp came from my throat, but it sounded more like a defected hiccup. We were moving so fast I couldn't get any words out; it was taking all my concentration to keep my breathing straight. Paul wasn't any help, either, keeping silent, just looking over his shoulder every now and then to make sure I was still there. He dragged me through the forest without any explanation, bringing us farther and farther away from the clearing. After a handful of minutes of rushing through the trees, he finally stopped in front of a large sycamore tree. My momentum kept me going and Paul guided me to the trunk in front of him. Before I hit the bark, he spun me so my back met the tree instead of my face. In a sudden blur, his arms were on either side of my head, his hands pressed against the bark, trapping me between himself and the tree.

He looked completely calm as he stared at me, so I knew he couldn't possibly be mad about something. I was still too shocked to say a single thing. There was a sliver of some emotion in his eyes that told me to wait though, something almost like anxiety.

"I'm not exactly sure how to ask this, so I'm just going to say it," Paul mumbled, "Hannah, will you be my girlfriend?"

Before my heartbeat had a chance to calm down, it skyrocketed again with that question. It took me a minute to digest the question and Paul just stared at me, waiting for my response. I felt like I should pinch my arm just to wake myself up. I couldn't possibly have heard right. I wouldn't be surprised if this were all some daydream. My imagination had been running wild recently, especially when it included Paul. Then again, this isn't exactly how I would have planned it out. I would have ended his question with a kiss that would last an entire day, so when the amazing kiss didn't come, I knew this was reality. When I looked at Paul again, I realized I had actually taken quite a bit of time to think about this, though I knew perfectly well what my answer would be. His mask of calm seemed to slowly begin disintegrating, beginning with his eyes. _Hannah, you idiot!_ "Of course," I answered in a rush, sounding like I had just run a mile. My cheeks heated slightly once I registered how pathetic I had probably sounded, that is until I saw Paul's heart-wrenching grin.

Paul shifted his hands on the tree so that he was hovering over me now, blocking my view of everything except for him. His face moved torturously slow towards mine, causing my heart to beat painfully fast. I was sure that he could hear my heart beat due to his closeness. Frozen in place, I watched him lean in until I was sure I wouldn't be able to stand it any longer. _Gah! Kiss me already!_ I would be very happy to say I gave in to my teenage hormones, but unfortunately my 'first-time' nerves were in control at the moment, refusing to let my body move so much as a centimeter forward.

Turning his head just before he reached my lips, Paul planted a tender kiss on my cheek, sighing softly once he detached himself. I wondered briefly why he didn't kiss me, but I was soon caught up in the fact that I could easily complete the feat myself. All I needed to do was turn my head. It wouldn't even take a second to do it. _No, Hannah. Don't make a fool of yourself. Maybe he doesn't want to kiss you yet. Be patient._

To distract myself from his lips, I flung my arms around his neck and pushed myself against him. Paul straightened up in surprise and I wrapped my dangling legs around him unthinkingly. Half a second later he was holding me, both of his arms on the small of my back. I rested my chin on the section between his shoulders and his neck, blissfully mesmerizing his woodsy scent.

It seemed like only minutes later the sun had completely disappeared and we hadn't moved an inch. I knew everyone back at the bonfire would start getting worried about us. Though I would have much preferred to stay like this until I passed out from exhaustion, I sighed disappointedly, "Paul, its dark."

I was surprised to feel myself shaking, that is until I realized it was Paul's doing. My confusion only intensified once I picked up the sound of his deep chuckles beside my ear. Pulling back just enough to be able to speak to him face to face, I frowned and stared at him guffawing. "Well are you going to tell me the joke? I want to know what's so funny," I said.

Paul glanced at me, but as soon as he did his chortles picked up again. One of his hands slid farther down my back until it was only a hair's length away from the waist of my jeans. "Hey there! Watch the hands, you perv," I blurted out, trying to catch his attention before he got any further. _I wouldn't really mind, but I'm not in too much of a rush to get to that point._ I felt his hand dart back up my spine, finding a comfortable spot and tightening against me once again. He grinned in a sheepish manner, though he had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "Sorry. I was just too busy laughing at your amazing talent of stating the obvious to control my hands," he pouted playfully, confidently shrugging it off.

"Well then. I was going to forgive you, but now that you've admitted you were laughing at me, I think I'll hold a grudge for awhile," I said, untangling my arms and legs from around him to drop back to the ground. When I didn't feel myself immediately fall, I knew something was wrong. _Oh, crap._

"Are you sure you don't want to forgive me?" Paul asked, smirking down at me.

I bit my lip and tried to feign annoyance. "Let me go, Paul. You shouldn't have been such a smartass. Now deal with the consequences," I grunted, pushing at his chest in a wasted effort.

Suddenly, I felt myself being held in the air. Almost as quickly as I had been lifted, I was flopped back down in a very awkward position over Paul's shoulder. I gaped at Paul's back, peeking over my shoulder to better access my situation. "Are you serious? I'm not a freakin' baby! Put me down, Paul Antilla! Put me down _now!_" I ordered, beating against his back with my fists and kicking my legs in a futile attempt to release myself from his caveman antics. His arms tightened around my legs and halted their battering. Paul shrugged his shoulders, adjusting my weight as if he planned to keep me there.

"I'm not putting you down until I know I'm forgiven," Paul said seriously. I could imagine the smile he was trying to fight off.

Crossing my arms as best I could while upside down, I scoffed, "Well, I hope you've been lifting weights because it looks like we're going to be here for awhile and I am not accepting your apology." Paul laughed as if I were a three-year old that had just asked him if monkeys could fly. "What the heck is so funny?" I asked in disbelief.

Paul exhaled loudly before answering, "Hannah, you barely weigh anything at all. And I don't plan on staying here all night. We're going back to the bonfire. That's what we came for and I don't ditch." Without giving me so much as a chance to gasp, he placed his arm across my back and trudged back the way we had come.

"Paul! Let me down!"

"Am I forgiven?" Paul smirked, not slowing down as he spoke.

"No!"

"Hmm…then nope."

"Ugh! Just give up already!"

The next five minutes were spent with repetitive bickering, though I eventually gave it a rest for awhile. I made myself comfortable and clutched the back of Paul's shirt. When I noticed the fire's glow in the distance, I tried again with a gentler approach.

"Please, Paul. If you bring me over there like this to your friends they're going to think I'm some kind of nincompoop! Don't you want them to like me?" I pleaded, using my mother's tactics. She always seemed to get what she wanted as long as she made the other person feel guilty, so maybe it would work for me too.

I felt Paul shake his head. "Not until you say it. I don't have to worry about them liking you because I already know they do. But if you're so worried, all you have to do is say those three little words," he stated simply.

I weighed my options.

Option one: Try to beat the crap out of him and run…_yeah, right. Next. _

Option two: Kiss the heck out of him and hope he'll put me down…_definitely something I wouldn't mind doing, but no way do I have the courage. Next._

Option three: Stay over his shoulder and try to forget everyone's seeing you like this…_eh, not good, not bad. Maybe…_

Option four: Forgive him and be done with it…_what's the worst that could happen? He'd brag about his victory for awhile, but it wouldn't kill me. _

Maybe if I hadn't received the stubborn gene from both of my parents, I would have been happy to compromise with option four. As it was, the double dose of stubbornness took over and did not want to settle for the most reasonable choice. Basically, I had no choice but to go with option three.

Refusing to say so much as a 'no', I kept my mouth shut tight, counting off the steps until he reached the clearing. Paul sighed and shook his head slightly. "Damn, you're stubborn."

I ignored his insult and tried to calm myself down before I was faced with his friends. _Just deal with it, Hannah. They'll forget about it soon enough._ When I saw us move out of the trees and into the wide space, I braced myself for whatever jokes or teasing would surely be thrown at me. At first, I didn't hear a thing. We passed the food table, heading towards the pile of logs. With each step Paul took, I could hear the laughter and mutterings of his friends more clearly. They must have just noticed Paul because I heard a chorus of "finally's" coming from behind me. I knew now that they were all sitting down around the fire. Ignoring the fact that all they would see of me were my butt and legs, I listened intently for any comments about me.

"What's up, guys?" Paul said cheerfully, stopping somewhere near the logs.

"Man, I thought you two would never come back," Brady groaned, followed closely by a yelp.

"Don't act like you've never been late to anything," Sarah said sternly.

"Paul? Why are you carrying Hannah? Did she hurt herself?" Claire's concerned voice interrupted Brady and Sarah's bickering.

"No! He's decided to become a stupid caveman and won't let me down," I grumbled, hoping my voice was loud enough for them to hear me even from behind Paul.

"Oh come on, Hannah. You know what you have to do to get down," Paul cooed teasingly while walking a few steps. I gasped when I felt myself falling, realizing once I was settled back on Paul's shoulder that he had just sat down.

"This isn't exactly convincing me, genius," I growled, flicking his back with my middle finger.

"I'm not the one who's being so stubborn," Paul countered.

"Really? Then what the hell do you call this?"

"Persuasion."

Before I could retaliate, a suspicious Kim scolded Paul. "Paul! You're not trying to make her kiss you are you?" I didn't think this situation could have gotten any worse. I would have to do something before we got too far into the subject of Paul's and mine's physical relationship.

Pushing myself away from Paul's back, I sputtered loudly, "All right, all right! I give. You're forgiven!" As soon as I was finished, I felt Paul's arms slacken their hold on me and I quickly took advantage of his loose hold. Pulling myself off his back, I staggered a few steps away from him and huffed in place. Paul had a smug grin on his face, raising one eyebrow as if to say, "I told you so." His eyes travelled from my face down, his eyes growing a little wider once he stopped at some point. _What's his problem?_ I looked down at myself to investigate a possible source to Paul's reaction, blushing a ridiculous shade of scarlet once I noticed the strip of skin that was showing just above my jeans. My shirt and jacket had most likely slid higher up my stomach when I had escaped Paul. Fixing the problem quickly, I ducked my head and tried to force the blush away.

I didn't even have time to breathe before a pair of strong hands pulled on my jacket, plopping me on Paul's lap. His voice was suddenly in my ear, whispering huskily, "When's your birthday again?" I didn't understand the point of the question, but I answered anyway. "December 28th." I felt Paul nod against my shoulder and his warm breath fan across my neck as he sighed. I shuddered at the contrast between the cold air and his hot breath, forgetting completely about our little spat just moments ago. I was glad that everyone had turned their attention away from us and started their own conversations.

I took the time to observe the group around us in detail this time. To our immediate right were Claire and Quil, wrapped around each other in a tender hug. I noticed Claire's jacket was beside her on the log, completely forgotten due to the unnatural warmth Quil provided her. One quick glance around the fire told me that no one was wearing a jacket any longer, with the exception of Emily, who didn't seem to happy about that fact. On the log beside Quil and Claire, Embry and Seth were having a who-can-eat-the-most-the-fastest contest, which Collin, spread across the log beside them, was egging on. Skipping the empty log on the other side of Collin, I focused on Leah and the man beside her.

"Who's that?" I whispered to Paul behind me. He followed the direction of my gaze and nodded his head briefly.

"Ray, Leah's fiancé. He's cool once you get to know him."

Bringing my attention back to Leah and Ray, I couldn't help but think that Leah didn't seem to like me very much. It didn't have anything to do with how she looked now, since all she was doing now was clutching on to Ray's sleeve and whispering to him with a smile on her face. Maybe it was just her blunt question when I had first met her. Or maybe it was the way she completely ignored me. Whatever the reason, I would have to fix this as soon as possible.

My eyes travelled to the next log, which was directly across from me and Paul. Sarah grinned widely when I finally looked at her, apparently having waited a while for me to meet her eyes. I raised a questioning eyebrow and tilted my head to the side a little. Sarah silently giggled and suddenly stared at me with a very serious expression. She wiggled her eyebrows almost teasingly and scooted closer to Brady, catching him unaware and kissing him. When she pulled out of the kiss (leaving Brady wide-eyed and slightly dazed), she nodded at me. My mouth formed in an 'o' as I realized what she wanted, closely followed by my traitorous blush. _I guess she's the touchy-feely one of the gang._ I shook my head quickly to answer her silent command, trying my best to keep the blush under control. She was clearly amused and ducked her head to laugh at my reaction. Before my cheeks grew any hotter, I turned to the next couple, ignoring Sarah's shaking form.

As soon as I beheld the next sight, I smiled and had to hold back an 'aww.' Sitting on the floor between Jacob's legs, April drew her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes. Her hands were on Jacob's knees while her head rested on his stomach. Jacob continuously played with her hands, stroking each finger as if it were a billion dollar artifact that could shatter with just one wrong movement. Jake would frequently bend down to whisper something in her ear and April would open her eyes to watch him lovingly. I sighed and suddenly I realized how much I felt like I was intruding on a special moment between the two. _Duh, Hannah. You wouldn't want anyone staring at you and Paul…oh, who am I kidding. Yes, I would! Especially if it meant we would actually have moments like this. _

Deciding to leave April and Jake alone, I moved on to the log beside them. Sam and Emily looked so perfect together that it seemed impossible that they were ever _not_ together. The way Sam brushed a strand of her hair back behind her ear and let his hand linger on her ruined cheek showed just how in tune with each other they were. The unmarred side of Emily's face shone brightly with pure joy and love, evidently due to Sam's touches. She seemed to be over the fact that Sam had put her jacket back on and zipped it up just below her neck, though I'm sure she would have preferred to just use his heat to warm herself. They were in their own little world, tuning out the boisterous laughs of the men and the scolding of the women.

On the last log, the one to the left of Paul and me, Kim and Jared were in a conversation with Embry and Seth two logs over. Of course, it wasn't too hard to notice Jared really wasn't completely focused on the conversation. I caught the little glances he would throw in Kim's direction, smiling warmly at her when she stared back at him. With their arms intertwined, they were true love in its purest form.

I leaned back against Paul fully, pushing away any insecure thought. It was about time I got over myself. After all, Paul had learned an immense amount about me that I was sure would have changed his mind about me, but here I was wrapped in his arms while he laughed along with Jared, Embry, Seth, and Collin. _That's it, Hannah. No more stupid put-downs. Enjoy your time with him tonight._ I nodded my head decisively and reveled in the feel of Paul holding me.

"Oh! I just got a great idea!" Claire chirped loudly, knocking me out of my reverie and causing me to jump slightly. If not for Paul's arm holding me down, I would have surely fallen over sideways from her outburst.

"Quil, calm her down," Paul demanded, pushing me back against him so he could see over my shoulder. Quil smirked and opened his mouth to retort, but Claire beat him to it. "Shut up, Paul. Like I was _saying_, I thought of something we could do. Since its Hannah's first bonfire, why don't we tell her a few stories? You know, of the good old days."

A murmur of agreement passed through the group. Brady scoffed and raised an eyebrow at Claire. "Are you trying to call us old?" Before Claire could answer, Sarah elbowed him in the stomach. Brady didn't even flinch, but he knew it was meant to hurt him from the expression on her face. Sarah shook her head frustratingly, crossing her arms across her chest. Of course, he wouldn't stand for that, so he tickled her until she uncrossed her arms and then he stopped to wrap his arms around her waist. Still giggling, Sarah leaned against him and smacked his arm in playful disapproval.

"_Anyway,_ so who wants to go first?" Claire asked while crossing her legs. No one answered for a sixth of a second, then suddenly a stifled laughter broke the silence. I had to glance around the entire circle before I could find the source, stopping once I saw Jacob hunched over with both hands covering his mouth.

Once Jacob realized he had attracted all of our attention, he gave a quick look over at Paul and burst into another round of fresh guffaws.

April turned slightly to stare at Jake, touching his cheek with one of her hands. "Are you feeling ok, Jake?" Jacob didn't hesitate for a second to reassure her and explain quickly. "I'm fine, don't worry. I just remembered something from high school is all." He nodded his chin towards Quil and grinned mischievously. "You should remember too. It was too hilarious to forget."

It was as if Jake had somehow spoken with Quil telepathically and told him exactly what he was thinking of. He snorted and nodded vigorously. "Oh yeah. That's perfect, man. Kudos on the memory. I wish I had thought of it first."

"Excuse me, but isn't the whole point of this to actually _know_ what you guys are talking about? That whole brotherly bond thing is getting on my nerves," Sarah said while wiggling her fingers at them.

Even though it looked like he had heard Sarah, Quil gestured to Embry then to Jared on either side of him. "Don't tell me you two forgot about _Lacey._" He said the name with such sarcasm that I knew instantly the story would have to do something with her foolish antics.

The name must have meant something to everyone because there was understanding flashing across every face in sight. I felt Paul's arm tense slightly across my stomach. He groaned a second later and pulled me so close to him that I was sure we would have merged into one person from the force.

"Come on, guys. Anything except _her_. I don't really need to recall that," Paul complained, frowning at Jake and Quil.

_Now_ I was curious. _Why in the world wouldn't Paul want them to tell everyone about what's-her-name?_ "No, no. Go ahead and tell us. I want to hear the story," I encouraged, waving my hands at Jacob, who I assumed would be the one to reminisce. I heard Paul huff behind me, but I didn't bother turning around.

Jacob, apparently motivated to continue now, cleared his throat dramatically and grinned slyly at Paul once more before beginning the tale. "Well, as we all know, Paul had and still has a short fuse when it comes to temperament. Everyone in high school knew this too, since he didn't exactly keep it secret or anything. Believe it or not, though, there were a ton of girls that still chased after him, including a certain self-proclaimed stalker." A few snickers from Embry and Jared distracted me for a moment, but the opportunity to learn more about Paul was too good to pass.

He went on, "This girl was the epitome of insane. She refused to believe that Paul didn't want to sleep with her, even after practically throwing herself at him." _That_ surprised me. I hadn't expected it to be something like that at all. I mean, sure I knew with his amazing looks and all Paul would have gotten a few offers, but I didn't think I would ever have to hear about them. Paul must have sensed my self-confidence dwindling because he grabbed one of my hands with his, squeezing my hand to attract my attention. Without thinking twice about it, I faced him and immediately felt guilty. His eyes were cast into shadow by his furrowed eyebrows, but it wasn't from anger. He seemed like he was almost pained or worried. I pushed aside any previous thoughts and smiled at him with as much power as I could muster. Paul's expression transformed into one of relief and he rested his chin on my shoulder.

The exchange had only taken about a minute, so I hadn't missed much of Jake's story. "…and even after Paul fumed at her in public, she persisted on trying to get some reaction out of him. After about a week of trying to seduce him, Paul finally got tired of ignoring her. So...he told her he was gay." _Whoa. Wasn't expecting that one._ I laughed quietly at the thought of big, macho Paul telling someone he was gay. Even if I didn't know him so well, I couldn't see how anyone would believe that.

Embry cut in and took over for Jacob. "What Paul didn't know, though, was that Lacey was also the kind of girl that never could keep anything to herself. She was the Tom Brady of gossiping. By the next day, everyone knew about Paul's declaration. Of course, no one was brave enough to tease him about it, but now Paul had a new problem. Instead of having to push off the desperate girls, he now had to threaten every gay guy that hit on him."

I couldn't hold in my giddiness any longer. Before I could even try to stop myself, I erupted into giggles and buried my head in my hands. Thank goodness I wasn't the only one who had started laughing or this would have definitely become one of my tops for most embarrassing moments. I noticed that Paul wasn't laughing, but was actually frowning with a disgusted twist to his lips. He clearly didn't find this funny at all. He caught me staring at him and replaced the frown with a small smile. I felt more than saw him shrug against me, which only caused my laughter to rise in volume.

"Do you know how hard it was to go through another year of high school with guys trying to get my number? I think I preferred the girls," he said, widening his eyes as if trying to convince us it was a very difficult year for him.

Just one story and already I couldn't stop laughing. If this was any indication to the rest of the night, then my throat would definitely be sore tomorrow.

If only I could put into words just how right I was. After Jacob's story, Brady followed with a trip to a water park in Olympia. Apparently, there wasn't anywhere the gang could go without getting at least five girls hitting on them. The water park was definitely no exception. I don't even think I could resist Paul in nothing but swimming trunks. _Oh my Gosh. Thank God for my imagination. _

When Kim mentioned something about girls going crazy when they saw these guys (or guys drooling in Leah's case), Paul scoffed and teased, "You're one to talk. You had a major crush on Jared for…how long again?" Kim's eyes widened in anger. She whipped her head around to glare at Paul, actually making me a little nervous. She turned back to Jared almost as quickly, pouting innocently at him and pleading quietly, "You have some embarrassing story about Paul, don't you? You two have been friends since preschool. Care to share one? For me?" She kissed him on the lips slowly, obviously using everything she had to her advantage.

Jared was clearly ecstatic by the bright grin he had once Kim pulled away. "Anything for you," he said. Paul raised his shoulders and hands in a questioning way. "What the hell, man? You're choosing her over me? That's really messed up." Jared quirked an eyebrow and humphed. "Hell yeah. And don't tell me you wouldn't do the same if it were Hannah." _Yeah right. Like if Paul would ever choose me over his family. Even if it was something as little as a stupid story. _

With that, Jared began telling us about an unfortunate accident when they were twelve. Something about Paul having provoked a bear by taunting him and ending up sprinting away from it. Having stayed away at a safe distance, Jared had had a great view of the entire chase. Luckily, the bear didn't catch Paul, but unluckily for Paul, the reason it hadn't caught him was because he had fell into a deep ditch where the bear could not reach him. Jared explained that once he had run back for help and his parents had pulled Paul out of the hole, Paul wasn't injured. Except for a having landed on pine cones, which was not very pleasant even after they got everyone out, especially when Paul had to sit down.

A few more stories followed, every single one causing my chest to throb more and more from the pain of laughing too hard. Emily told us about a time Paul accidently drank a laxative that he had believed was some kind of new meal Emily had prepared. Embry laughed as he described one of the arguments Paul and himself had gotten into. Leah even joined in with a story of a very painful cliff-diving experience, ending in Paul doing a massive belly flop that actually stung for a minute (which of course I didn't understand at all. Belly flop stings definitely lasted for more than a minute. Believe me, I speak from personal experience).

Seth was in the middle of another story now, having to do with Embry, Paul, and a bag of Cheetos. "I'm serious! Paul looked so mad that I thought he was going to change-."

"SETH!" Numerous voices yelled out his name in unison. I started from the intensity of their combined volume, letting out a tiny squeal. It was silent except for the sounds of the nocturnal animals and the crackling fire. I was sure anyone could feel the sudden tension in the air, not to mention Paul had hardened as well. It was odd when I looked at everyone's expressions as well. Almost everyone had an anxious tinge to their features, including the ever-perverted Sarah and tranquil April. I couldn't imagine what had caused this. _It's not like I don't know about Paul's temper. _

Claire hopped up from her seat and chirped a little too quickly, "Oh no. We're running out of firewood. Let's go get some more, Hannah." Without waiting for my consent, she flitted to me and tugged on my hand. On her first pull, she couldn't get me up due to Paul's securing arm, but with a flash of a glance to him, he let his arm drop to his side and she dragged me behind her into the trees. I didn't mention anything about the pile of wood behind Sam and Emily's log that was almost as tall as her.

As soon as we were in the forest, Claire switched into 'rapid-chat' mode. "Oh, Hannah, I was wondering what's your favorite color. I was thinking it would be green, but then again you do wear a lot of purple too. Well, either one would look great on you really. We'll have to go shopping in Port Angeles for dresses. Oh, wait, I'm sorry. I forgot for a second there about Mandy. It would make sense that you would want to go with her too. Hey! Why don't all three of us go dress hunting? I'm sure Mandy will go to the dance too anyway. Let's see then, if she's taking Lance, you're taking Paul, and I'm taking Quil then we'll have to find a big table at the dance. That means we'll have to ask someone to save a table for us since big tables usually go first. Oh! I wonder if we should go to a hair salon or just do our own hair. You and Mandy have amazing hair so I doubt you guys even need a stylist to fix it up. Unfortunately, I might have to go. My hair isn't even half as natural as-."

"Whoa! Slow down, Speedy Gonzalez!" I said loudly, holding my hands up in the air in front of her. Claire stopped mid-sentence and blinked innocently. "First off, what dance are you talking about?"

"The school dance, of course. I think the school is just trying to make money since there really isn't a special occasion that would call for a dance in the first week of November."

I stared at her incredulously. "I think I might have misunderstood you when you were talking at the freakin' speed of light. You didn't think I was going, did you?" _Definitely not my kind of thing._ It's not like I was clumsy or anything like that. I was actually quite balanced for being so tall. _Well, except when I'm with Paul._ Anyway, I just don't like dancing. Never have and never will.

Claire furrowed one eyebrow, jutting out her hip and crossing her arms. "Didn't Paul ask you to be his girlfriend, yet?"

I didn't bother blushing since I was too caught up in trying to avoid the dance. "Today actually, but what does that have to do with the dance?"

"Well, you have to show off your guy, Hannah," she explained as if it was something even a four-year-old should know.

"I don't think a school dance is the place to do that. Besides, Paul doesn't seem like he's up to the idea."

"It's the _perfect_ place to do it. And how do you know Paul doesn't like dances?" she persisted exasperatedly. She uncrossed her arms to place them on her hips, making her seem like a disapproving mother.

"How many dances has he been to?" I asked, knowing what the answer would be already. There were just some things that were very obvious once you got to know Paul. Disliking dances just happened to be one of them.

Without faltering even a step, Claire replied, "None, but that doesn't mean he won't go this time."

"Why do you think he'll go this time if he's never wanted to go to one before?"

"Because you'll be the one asking him this time. Hannah, Paul would jump off the Empire State Building if you wanted him to. He'd do _anything_ that you asked him to, no matter how ridiculous or how much he dislikes it," she stated simply, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

I wasn't so sure her statement was true. Actually I was pretty sure he wouldn't jump off a skyscraper just because I told him to. I looked at Claire again, chewing on my lip as I tried to think of a way to squirm out of this. "I don't know, Claire. I don't really like dances all that much either. Why would I ask Paul to go to something _I_ don't even want to go to?"

Claire must have noticed my reasoning was faltering and she took full advantage of her puppy dog eyes. "You do want to go; you just don't know it yet. It'll be tons of fun with me and Mandy there to help you dance. Not to mention, Paul's a pretty decent dancer himself. Please, Hannah?"

_Dang it! Why do all my friends have to have some sort of adorable power that no one can say no to? Couldn't I at least have one too?!_ I threw my hands in the air and huffed loudly. "Fine, whatever. I'll go, but don't say I didn't warn you. I really don't think Paul's going to say yes." Claire brightened instantly and flung herself at me, squeezing me in another constricting hug. "You won't regret it, Hannah! I know for sure he's going to say yes and you're going to have the best night of your life," she squealed excitedly.

She pulled back after another half a second, locking our arms together again as she had before. She started leading us back to the bonfire, asking a few details about what kind of dresses I liked. When we could see the glare of the fire through the trees and we were only feet away from the clearing, I stopped suddenly, halting Claire beside me.

"What's wrong, Hannah?" Claire asked concernedly.

"Weren't we supposed to get firewood?"

"Oh, yeah," Claire chimed, releasing herself from me and grabbing a fair sized stick from beside a nearby tree. "There."

I half-smiled at her and shook my head. "We don't really need wood, do we?"

Claire looked down at the ground and twirled the stick in her hands. "Uh, I just needed to talk to you about the dance in private."

"You didn't have to drag me into the forest."

Back to her mischievous self, Claire raised her chin to me and smirked. "Would you rather I have asked you in front of everyone? I thought it would be a little awkward talking about Paul right in front of him."

_Oh right._ I grabbed her arm and hooked our arms together, laughing while trying to say, "Yeah, I guess you're right." We both burst into giggles and made our way into the clearing. Claire poked my side and said, "I like you a lot, Hannah Berkeley."

Placing my free hand over my heart mockingly, I sniffed, "It's an honor, truly. I never would have thought it possible. Oh my Gosh, I think I'm even going to cry." I wiped an imaginary tear from under my eye, sniffing again. Claire tried to glare at me, but the huge smile on her face only made us both laugh loudly once again. Once we reached the space between our logs, we parted ways; her plopping down beside Quil and me turning to Paul.

Paul held out his hand, beckoning me to sit down. Taking his hand, I started to sit down beside him, but Paul shook his head no. Completely confused, I started to say, "What do you mean? Do you want me to sit on the floor?" Paul interrupted me by pulling me forward and placing his hands on my hips. In one swift motion, he picked me up slightly off the ground and gently sat me on his lap, smiling his amazing toothy grin.

For the next first few minutes me, Claire, Quil, and Paul talked with each other, mostly about Jacob and Quil's shop and the few things Claire and I knew about cars. Soon, though, I was sitting on the edge of Paul and mine's log with all the girls sitting in a semi-circle in front of me. I couldn't believe how well I was getting along with them. It reminded me of how quickly I had gotten to know Paul and Claire so well. I was actually quite surprised that I was even starting to get along with Leah, who had also decided to join us.

Paul was sitting with the boys, three logs over. Their boisterous laughter and occasional punches were hard to ignore, which we girls complained about occasionally. At one point, I couldn't even hear myself speak when I was trying to answer Sarah. "No. I've never had another boyfriend," I had to say it loudly, but I wasn't about to yell it so that the guys could hear it too. Leah, being the bluntest of us all, finally got tired of trying to talk over the boys. She whipped her head around and shouted, "Hey, idiots! Keep it down! Hannah's trying to tell us about her boyfriends!"

I covered my face quickly with my hands, shaking my head when I couldn't hear anything from the guys. Someone, I wasn't sure who though, started up another conversation about going cliff-diving sometime soon, which started up the loud bellows from the men again. I looked up to see who my savior had been, smiling at Seth when he winked at me as he spoke. I tried not to look at Paul, but couldn't help but glance at him. He was, not to my surprise, staring at me. However, he was smiling at me, almost reassuringly. I smiled back and was brought back to my conversation with the girls by April. "Hannah, you were saying?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. Anyway, no, I've never had another boyfriend before. Paul's the first." I guess I should have known Sarah would have something to say about that.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, _whoa._ You're telling me you've never kissed a guy before? Like ever? Dang, girl. How did you do it?" she asked incredulously.

I shrugged and tried to keep them from worrying by smiling. "My height definitely became a problem. I was already taller than most boys by the time I was in fourth grade. Not to mention all the blondes, whether fake or natural, I was surrounded by. Guys in California certainly prefer blondes."

April flipped her short hair back and pouted. "I'm sorry my people hurt you. At least you won't regret ever being with another guy. Paul will always be your one and only." _They must think I'm going to marry him. Hmm…_

For what I guessed was an hour and a half, they asked me question after question about myself. I had never had anyone so interested in my life before, except for Paul of course. From Emily's 'are you planning on going to college' to Kim's 'what sports do you play,' I answered every question, no matter the level of ridiculousness. I even answered Sarah's 'how far have you gone with a guy?' Once they finished with my interrogation, I began with them. I was at a little disadvantage since there were six of them, but they helped me out when they could by telling me something I hadn't even asked yet. I was finally able to work out who were married, engaged, or dating thanks to their help. Who would have known trying to remember six people's relationships would be so difficult?

"Ok, so Sam and Emily are married. Kim and Jared are too. April and Jacob are engaged, as are Leah and Ray. Sarah and Brady are dating. Did I get anyone wrong?" I asked, biting my cheek to keep my smile from my lips.

"Hello?! What about me? That is so not fair!" Claire piped up from my left on the ground, nudging my leg with her shoe.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Claire. I forgot about you. You and Quil are, um…engaged, right?" I teased, tapping my finger against my chin.

Claire nudged me harder this time, scoffing and turning her head away from me.

"Aw, I'm just kidding, Claire. You and Quil are dating, I know."

She turned back to me smiling, but the smile went away almost as quickly. "I wish we were engaged. I don't see why I have to wait until I'm eighteen. What's the point in waiting if I already know I'm going to spend the rest of my life with him anyway?"

Emily sighed from beside Claire and patted her shoulder sympathetically. "You know your Uncle Sam just wants to make sure you're all ready for marriage. At least he's not making you wait until you're twenty-five or something much worse."

"Wait, he made all of you guys wait until you were at least eighteen to get engaged? Why didn't any of you do it anyway? He's not related to the rest of you," I asked, puzzled as to why they would follow his instructions even though he wasn't their guardian.

Kim spoke up this time, answering for the rest of them. "It's not really us, but more the guys. Sam's like…the leader, I guess you could call him. The guys are completely and totally loyal to any directions he gives them, even if it does stop them from marrying someone they love."

"Ok, I sort of get it." I glanced Sarah staring at her feet leaning against the log in front of me. "Sarah, aren't you twenty-two? You and Brady have been dating for almost nine months now, right? Are you guys still not sure if you're going to get married?"

Sarah broke from her reverie and shook her head slowly. She sighed and frowned. "No, we're definitely sure we want to get married, but Sam's not the problem. My parents don't want me to get engaged yet. They're using the excuse of college right now, but honestly I think they just don't want me to get engaged anytime soon. I don't want to disconnect myself from them or anything, so for now I'm following their stupid rules. They won't be able to stop me once I graduate college though."

I formed my mouth into an 'o' and smiled at her. She grinned back, introducing a new topic. "At least I know he's mine. I would have seriously died if I had to crush on him for years and not actually be able to kiss him or anything," she said nonchalantly, glancing at Kim.

Kim glared at her and smacked her leg. "You're such a jerk sometimes," she said, though a smile was playing on the corner of her lips.

We continued our conversation, learning what we could about each other. Well, I learned about them while they learned about me; they already knew each other. Through them, I also learned about the guys too. Their annoying habits, their favorite food, and the different sounds they made while snoring. At some point, we even got on the topic of children.

"Whoa! Emily, you have two kids? You must have been on some amazing diet to look this great after two," I said incredulously, gesturing to her slim figure. Emily smacked her lips and rubbed her stomach. "You're just trying to be nice, Hannah. Stop flattering me." I leaned forward and pressed my fist against her cheek, pretending to punch her. "You're crazy, Emily."

I turned to Kim and looked her up and down. "And you too. I guess it's easier after just one, but still! Both of you must have amazing metabolism." Kim laughed and looked over at Emily. They shared a knowing smile and laughed together.

Out of nowhere, a warm hand touched my shoulder. I thought it was Claire first, but then I realized her hand was much smaller and not as hot. Raising my head to see the body the hand belonged to, I smiled at Paul's towering frame, receiving a toothy grin back. He faced the girls and shrugged. "Sorry ladies, but I have to steal Hannah from you. Her parents won't be too happy if I bring her back home too late after midnight."

I was surprised it was already so late. I know its cliché and all, but time really does fly by. Standing up and stepping around Claire, I waved to the girls as Paul led me away and told them I'd hopefully see them again soon. Leah called out, "We better. Paul, don't wait so long to let us see her again. I like her." My eyes widened and I had to force my legs to keep moving. _Wow. Even Leah likes me._

Paul kept me nestled against his side as we walked to the truck, asking me how I had liked the bonfire and smiling at my responses.

Once we were inside the truck and coming onto the road, I remembered the dance. Maybe it was the music on the radio that reminded me. Anyway, I would have to hurry and ask him what was on my mind before I lost my nerve. _You can do it, Hannah._ "Paul? Would you like to come to the school dance next week?" I asked quietly, looking at him skeptically.

Paul turned to me, examining my expression for something, though I wasn't sure what for. "Do you really want to go or is Claire forcing you to?"

_Perceptive as always. _"Well, she kind of made it sound really nice. I think I would like to go," I explained, chewing on my bottom lip as I expected him to make up some excuse so he wouldn't be able to go.

"Then sure," Paul said simply. He couldn't have made me any more confused.

"Wait, you do understand that you will be going with me and you'll have to dress up, right?" I clarified.

Paul smile and nodded his head. "I sort of figured that I'd be going with you. Aren't you supposed to go with your girlfriend, or boyfriend in your case?"

I ignored the lurching sensation in my chest when he called me his girlfriend and spluttered, "Yes, but are you sure? I don't want you to think I'm going to get mad at you if you don't go."

"If you want me to go, then I'll go. Do you want me to say no?" he asked, his voice lowering as he questioned me.

"No, no, of course not. I _do_ want you to go."

Paul grinned and said, "Then consider me already there."

For some reason, my conversation with Claire in the forest popped into my head. _He'd do anything that you asked him to, no matter how ridiculous or how much he dislikes it. _I decided to test out Claire's theory.

"Hey, Paul? Can we go sky-diving tomorrow?"

One midnight black eyebrow rose high up on his forehead as he quickly turned to face me. He glanced at the road every few seconds, but other than that his eyes never left me. I forced myself to stare right back, ignoring the urge to turn my back to him. "Are you sure?" he asked slowly.

"One hundred percent positive."

Paul studied me for a handful of minutes until he finally turned back to the windshield with a sigh. _I knew she was wrong. _"We'll probably have to go to Seattle since I doubt Port Angeles has a sky-diving station. I'm sure Embry or Collin would know of a place since they're the most adventurous of the group. I hope your parents wouldn't mind me keeping you all day," he mused, scratching under his chin as he planned out our day.

Before he could go any further into his plan, I leaned over and kissed his scruffy cheek. _Holy crap! Did I just do that?_ Paul seemed completely caught off guard by my closeness, indicated by his wide eyes and slightly parted mouth. I was about to apologize when a goofy grin spread on his lips and his hand shot out form beside his leg to envelop mine. I mirrored his smile and scooted closer to him.

After a few quiet minutes, I remembered to say, "Oh, forget about the sky-diving."

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**Longest chapter yet. I just want to know, do you guys prefer very long chapters or average sized chapters. I've always wondered. I like longer chapters better, but since I'm kind of wierd I'm not going to base the decision on my opinion. **

**Now, REVIEW!!**

**--Mary**


	10. Putting the Pieces Together

**Yeah, I know I'm a few days late on the whole week thing, but then again, I didn't get ten reviews. Since we came so close though, I went ahead and posted it a whole lot faster than I would usually post a chapter.**

**This chapter is shorter than the previous, but I think you'll like the ending.**

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**Chapter 10 – Putting the Pieces Together**

My pen scratched across the black and white sheet of paper, writing down my every command in neat handwriting.

"Paul Antilla," I whispered as I wrote, completely out of habit. I squinted my eyes at his last name, shaking my head slightly. "Paul, get in here! I don't think I spelled your last name right," I called, continuing farther down the form as I waited for him to come into the living room.

I heard one of the kitchen cupboards slam shut and then a loud crinkling sound followed soon after. Footsteps thudded against the hardwood floor, making their way from the kitchen, through the foyer, and towards me where I sat with my knees to my chest on the three-seat couch. Paul shoved a cookie in his mouth, crunching down on it as he walked over to me.

"Didn't you just say that you ate an entire cow at Emily's place?" I asked, tapping my pen against the folder on the couch's armrest disapprovingly.

Paul shrugged and gulped down the cookie before grinning at me. "That was half an hour ago. I'm hungry again. Besides, you said I could grab a snack." He plopped down about a foot away from me on the couch, staring at me as I chewed on my bottom lip, contemplating Paul's endless pit of a stomach. "I still don't get how you can eat so much junk and still look…uh,well, you know…really good," I mused, blushing slightly as I thought of what I had just stopped myself from saying. _I wonder what he would do if I called him hot or sexy. Hannah, Hannah, Hannah…you're hopeless._

A smirk appeared on Paul's lips, instantly sending a wave of panic through me. "'Really good?' That's all I am? I thought I deserved better than that. Jeez, you're harsh," he whined mockingly, feigning a hurt expression. _Oooh, if only you knew. _I frowned at him playfully and turned away from him, focusing back on the registration form. "All right Paul. Back to being serious. I need to turn this in tomorrow for you. They won't let you into the dance unless you have their approval. You should know how strict the rules are on bringing dates that don't go to the school. So, would you mind helping a girl out here?" I pleaded, waving the paper and yellow folder in front of him.

Paul sighed and searched in the plastic bag for another cookie. He pulled out two at the same time, looking at them for a minute before offering his hand out in front of me. "Want one?" he asked hopefully.

I squinted at him, trying to hold my disapproving look. "What kind?" I said slowly. Paul grinned and raised the bag so I could see for myself. "Whoa, I didn't even know we had sugar cookies. Bag please," I said, reaching past his hand to the bag. My fingertips were only centimeters from the bag, but Paul wasn't handing it to me. I leaned over slightly more, lifting myself from the couch, but the bag just moved with me. I groaned and looked at Paul. "Come on Paul. You should know better than to get between a girl and her sugar cookies."

The bag finally touched my fingers and I took the chance and snatched it away from Paul. I curled back up against the armrest, smiling smugly at him. Paul mirrored my expression, leaning in slightly to say, "You're not like most girls. _Most_ girls wouldn't eat cookies at all, much less in front of their boyfriends."

Grabbing a cookie out of the bag, I leaned towards him so we were just inches apart. "If you haven't noticed, I'm not at all like other girls. So, I don't really care what most girls do," I whispered, raising my hand to twirl the cookie in front of him.

Paul's smile widened and he came in so close that I could feel his breath on my face as he spoke. "Oh, I've noticed. That's what makes you so perfect." I heard before I felt my breath hitch and I dropped the cookie onto his lap. My mind went blank and my eyes closed involuntarily. I knew what was coming, but I honestly had no idea what I was supposed to do. I could feel Paul's face getting closer and closer…

A metal clinking and a creaking broke through the now silent house. "Hannah, I'm so sorry it took me so long to get home. I didn't think the extra shift at the hospital would last this long," my mother chirped, clearly just walking through the front door. I was already flinging myself away from Paul when she started talking, unconsciously throwing myself off the couch. I landed with a thud on my back on the hardwood floor with my legs still splayed on the couch.

"Oww," I groaned, draping my arm over my eyes. "Hannah?! What…why…are you all right?" Paul stuttered, just now realizing that I wasn't directly in front of him anymore. I heard a pair of thuds beside me, which I assumed was Paul landing on his knees. Two very warm hands gripped my legs and brought them down onto the floor too. A second later, Paul had me in a sitting position beside him, securely supporting me with his arms.

Mom scurried into the living room, catching Paul holding me up. She sighed and shook her head slightly. "Well I guess that explains the truck outside. Hello, Paul. Hannah, dear, are you hurt?" she asked, taking off her coat while she spoke.

"I'm fine, Mom. Just fell off the couch is all," I muttered, a little depressed about what my mother had just interrupted. _So close. Oh, so close._ Paul said a quick hello to my mother and turned his attention back to me. It was surprising how well we could communicate without actually saying anything. Like right now. I smiled faintly and nodded my head, answering Paul's unspoken concern. Placing my hand on his knee, I brought myself off the ground, using Paul as my support. He stood up alongside me as soon as I was on my feet, lifting one arm in front of me and the other behind me in case I fell either way. I really didn't see why he was making such a big deal out of it. I wasn't hurt at all, just a temporary throbbing in my shoulders. I'm sure it would go away before dinner.

I could see my mother was watching us intently, a half-smile on her lips. "Hannah, would you come and help me with dinner? Your father will…oh never mind, he's here now. We better get dinner ready quickly," she said, leaning forward slightly to look out the window.

"Sure Mom. Um, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Paul. We can fill out the form then," I said, pushing the arm that was in front of me back to his side. "Nonsense! Paul can stay and have dinner with us. At least then we'll have an official meeting," Mom chimed.

I turned to gauge Paul's reaction, but he just smiled at me. "Is it all right with you if I stay?" he asked quietly, so Mom couldn't hear.

"Well of course you can stay if you want to. Are you sure though? I'm warning you now, it will most likely turn into a talk about your entire life, including the nitty gritty details," I whispered, making sure he knew the risks.

Paul grinned and lifted his head to turn to my mother. "I'd love to stay, Mrs. Berkeley."

"Perfect. Now, come on, Hannah. You know your father always comes home starving," Mom said, twirling in place and skipping to the kitchen.

"You should probably stay in here, Paul. TV control's on the coffee table." Paul nodded and ran his fingers smoothly down my arm before taking a step back and sinking down on the couch. Slightly dazed, I made my way into the foyer where my father and Peter were just now walking in.

"Afternoon, Hannah," Dad said, pecking me on the cheek quickly. "Hey, Dad. Uh, just so you know, Paul's in the living room. Please, _please_ be nice. That means no interrogations. I'm sure you can at least wait until dinner when I'm around to save him," I pleaded, biting my lip hopefully.

"Sure, sure," Dad said dismissively, waving me away. Satisfied with his answer, I walked into the kitchen. Mom was already scurrying around the kitchen, chopping here and rinsing there and quickly put me to work beside her. "Hannah, grind the meat for me."

I stood beside her at the kitchen counter, grabbing a bowl from one of the cabinets and emptying the meat packet beside her into the bowl.

"So…how are you and Paul doing?" she asked quietly.

"Fine, I guess. I'm not really sure what's considered 'good' or 'bad' in relationships," I answered nervously. She sounded like she was working up to a bigger subject. What the subject would be though, I wasn't entirely sure.

"Oh," she said simply. She stayed silent for another minute, then she suddenly whipped her head around to face me. "Do you need me to take you to the pharmacy?" she asked so quickly that I almost couldn't make out the words.

"What? No, I'm fine, Mom. Do I look sick to you?" Was this what was bothering her? _And here I was thinking it would be something about Paul._

She closed her eyes and her hand tensed on the counter edge. "Hannah, please do not play with me right now. I was young once too and I know sometimes…when your home alone with…someone…things can happen," she muttered.

_Oh my gosh. She's not serious, is she? She thinks Paul and me…no. Oh my gosh!_ "Mom, please, just please stop. _Nothing_ has happened between me and Paul," I said.

Mom opened her eyes and furrowed her eyebrows slightly, doubt written across her forehead. "Hannah, no one throws themselves off a couch for _nothing_." She paused and looked truly concerned. "I've already promised myself that I wouldn't freak out once you did start…these kinds of things. I can't banish you from ever seeing a guy again, since I know from experience that it'll only cause worse things. I would, however, at least like to know that you are being careful. You don't want to have sex with some guy and then end up pregnant, do you?"

"Mom, I am not having sex! I haven't even kissed him yet! Even if I was, I would be safe," I whispered quickly. Mom seemed a little reassured by my declaration. "If it'll help you feel better, I'll start using birth control. Though, I'm not going to need it for a long, long time," I sighed, smiling faintly at her.

Mom grinned and flung her arms around me. "Oh, thank you, Hannah. I just don't want you to get yourself into anything that you're going to regret. Well, I'd prefer if you never even did that kind of thing, but I guess I'll just have to live with the fact that you're an adult now." She pulled back and returned to making spreading lasagna on the pan beside me. "Oh, and don't worry, I won't tell your father."

I looked at her questioningly. This was going completely different than I would have expected. Mom should have been the one to go crazy, not Dad. She let a small smile cross her lips as she caught my expression. "I know what you're thinking. He might seem like he's the pacifist between the two of us, but I'm not sure he can handle this specific detail. At least I like Paul. But your father is still warming up to him. In my opinion, you should wait until you've found the one that you're going to spend the rest of your life with. Paul acts like he's ready to elope with you any day now." _Hmmm…nah. Mom's going way too far. There's no way._

"Hand me the meat, will you?" she asked, gesturing to the bowl in my hands. I slid the bowl across the counter, sending it straight into her hands. She wasted no time in grabbing the bowl and dumping the meat onto the lasagna. "I think I can finish the rest on my own. Why don't you wait in the living room with the boys?"

"You sure? You don't have to do this all on your own." I looked at the lasagna pointedly, hoping to get the message across. Mom put down the bowl and wiped her hands on a towel hung from a little rack above the sink. Completely unexpectedly, she began pushing me towards the entryway, flicking me with her fingers. "Go on. Get," she laughed.

I stumbled into the foyer laughing, shaking my head at my mother's silly behavior. I could hear the commentary of a game coming from the television, which would mean Dad would be oblivious to anything else around him. When I walked into the room, I was surprised to see not only my father leaning forward in his seat and muttering at the television, but Paul as well. Dad was sitting on the recliner beside Paul, pointing out bad calls by the referee. It was kind of funny watching Paul shake his hands and grunt in frustration when he would agree with Dad. I never would have expected football to be the bridge between Paul and my Dad. If I had known, I would have ordered a pair of stadium tickets for the both of them and sent them to a game.

Paul finally noticed I was there, at first glancing towards the foyer and doing a double take once he realized someone was watching them. He grinned and patted the spot beside him, nodding his head in a "come here" gesture. Rather than walk in front of the T.V. to inform Dad to my presence, I tiptoed behind the seats and slid in beside Paul, attempting to hide myself behind his massive frame by curling my legs beside me. Paul was willing to help out by wrapping his arm around my waist and letting me lay my head against his shoulder, though he didn't need to. Dad was completely focused on the television.

"I didn't know you were as into football as my dad," I whispered, playing with his fingers on my knee.

A corner of his mouth was pulling up into a smirk as he glanced at me. "I am a guy, you know."

I giggled softly and checked to make sure my Dad was still busy with the game. "Oh, by the way, I went ahead and filled in any other information you need from me for the form," Paul said while pointing at the coffee table. Sure enough, there the sheet of paper was, except now there were scribbles on the appropriate lines and a signature at the bottom. I beamed at Paul and hugged him tighter as a thanks.

For the next hour, Paul, Dad, and I watched the game, though I wasn't nearly as loud as the two of them. Dad continued to be as entranced with the game as before, yelling at the players who were apparently very stupid for missing such easy catches. Even though Paul was still protesting every so often, he didn't seem to be as into the game as before. Every time I would look over at him, he was unashamedly staring at me. There was just something in his eyes that caught my attention when I looked at him, something that I couldn't define no matter how hard I tried. Do you have any idea how frustrating that is?

Somewhere in the middle of one of the timeouts, Mom peered into the living room from the foyer, fixing her ponytail while announcing that dinner was ready. Dad stood up and stretched while I did the same. "Do you need help setting the table?" I asked in a quick breath while relieving my muscles.

Dad whipped his head around, his eyebrows shooting up high on his forehead. He looked from me to the still seated Paul to my mother. "When did you come in here? Why didn't I see you?"

Shrugging, I moved my hand in a circular motion, pretending to think for a second. "I don't know, maybe an hour ago. I said hi to you, Dad. You answered back, remember?"

A perplexed expression crossed Dad's features, giving him an almost comical look. Before he could get another question out, Mom hurried us along, urging us into the dining room. She closed the few feet between herself and Dad in seconds, grabbing a hold of his flannel shirt and tugging him behind her. As soon as they disappeared into the foyer, I felt the warmth of a hand on the small of my back through my collared shirt. Paul somehow appeared beside me silently, even managing to avoid making noise when rising from the couch. He smiled widely when I looked at him, leaning in to mutter, "I'm ready if you are."

I elbowed him lightly against his ribs, rolling my eyes. "I'm not the one you need to worry about. My dad still needs a bit of convincing when it comes to you." I took his hand from my back, squeezing it reassuringly. "Don't forget I'll be there to help you if Dad goes into 'detective mode.'"

Paul's gaze almost caused me to melt as he said, "I don't think I could ever forget you." Before I could do anything that I knew my parents would kill me for if they caught me, I marched out of the living room, pulling Paul behind me.

Once in the kitchen, I had a clear view of the dining table near the other wall, where my family was already situated. Even Peter was sitting in his place. With Dad at one end of the table and Mom at the other, that left the right side of the table for me and Paul. As we made our way to our seats, I could see that Dad was serious again, though he was trying to mask it by looking busy while cutting himself a slice of lasagna.

"Oh, there you two are. I was wondering where you had run off to," Mom smiled while we took our seats. I made sure to be the one closest to my father…just in case. _It's never a bad thing to be prepared._

As soon as everyone had lasagna on their late (I had to force Paul to cut himself more than he insisted he wanted. After seeing how much he could eat, I knew he was trying to kiss up to my parents.), my mother started the friendly conversation. "So, Hannah, how's school?"

I shrugged while digging my fork into the steaming food. "Ok, I guess. Same old, same old. I'm pretty sure school was never meant to be exciting."

"Really? The other nurses at the hospital are always telling me about the drama their children get into at school. I'm feeling a little left out not having anything to say."_Here we go again. _Or at least I thought so until…

"What about you, Paul? What was high school like for you?" my dad asked out of no where, causing Paul to almost choke on the lasagna in his mouth. He coughed as a cover-up, trying to pass it off as nothing. I'm so glad I didn't have anything in my mouth; otherwise I would need the Heimlich maneuver. I thought the question over to see if there could be any hidden questions, but it seemed pretty harmless, so I kept my mouth shut and waited to hear Paul's response; I was curious, also, because it was something we hadn't really talked about.

Paul cleared his throat when he was done, preparing to speak. I could feel my whole family, just waiting for him to answer. Even Peter wasn't eating as fast as he usually did, his eyes on Paul. My face became red, imagining how Paul must feel with them, thinking they must be so pathetic that they have nothing else to do, but pick at my boyfriend, like he's an interesting pastime.

Finally, when I though the silent wait was going to kill me, Paul answered. "Well, I went to La Push High, also, just like Hannah is now, but I went a few years ago. When I hear her talk about it and the teachers, I remember what it was like for me and I can relate. High school wasn't easy for me, either. I had to study hard if I wanted to do well, and it wasn't until later on in my high school career that it finally hit me that I shouldn't just try and get by. Once I realized that my grades and school were important if I wanted to do anything with my life, I put more effort into it, wanting to do my best now. And in the end, it helped me a lot."

I was so enraptured by Paul's story that I forgot that my parents and Peter were in the room for a moment. Every time Paul looked into my eyes, I think my heart stopped. I could imagine a younger (but not littler) version of Paul trying hard for the things he learned in school to make sense to him. It was weird because I had never seen him doing any _work_, but it was nice to know that he had gone through what I was facing now. I glanced around the table, hoping I wasn't too late to see everyone else's reaction. Peter looked a little bored, but not completely; he just wasn't into school. But, what twelve-year-old boy was? My mother seemed like she had expected that response because she knew Paul was no idiot. I looked to my left and saw my dad not looking very impressed, but that didn't mean anything. He knew how to keep a poker face, no sign of any emotion. He just chewed thoughtfully on his food before asking his next question. "Huh. What about in college? Did you go to a lot of crazy parties or whatever it is they had? "

I cringed and turned back around to Paul. A flash of embarrassment crossed his face, but it went away so fast that I thought I had imagined it a second later. I would have to ask him about that later. Right now, I was wondering if anyone else had caught that look. "I never really "left" for college; I just took classes online at a website. Around here, I'm someone that helps keep everything under control, so I knew I couldn't leave. I have a responsibility to the people here and I want to honor it, so I took some on-line courses while majoring in architecture and construction. Besides, I really had no time for parties."

I didn't want to keep looking back and forth, though I was very curious, so I kept my gaze locked onto Paul's face as he took another bite of his food, waiting for my dad to respond. He seemed to like it, so I was happy, but I think Paul would eat anything if he was hungry enough. By this time we were all on our second helping and I was so grateful that my mom cooked so much more than we as a family could eat. Most of the time, I get annoyed because I have to eat leftovers for a while, but I knew I wouldn't be tomorrow. There was no way I was going to let Paul leave my house still hungry.

"What about your parents? I don't think I've met anyone here with the name Antilla. Have you, dear?" my dad asked my mom, looking straight across the table at her. When she shook her head no, he looked back at Paul, and continued his endless questioning. "You obviously grew up here, but where do they fit into the picture?"

While dad was talking to Paul, I could feel his body tense up next to me. At the mention of his parents, a subject that was still foreign to me, many feelings that I had yet to see from him surfaced on every feature of his face. At first, there was a look of immense hurt- a sorrow so deep I felt like I was drowning in the obvious pain he was going through in that moment. After a second or two, though, it vanished and his face was filled with confusion, but it was there for less than a second. And then his face contorted into one of anger. Rage was all I could see in his eyes; I felt it rolling off his body, it was that strong. I know my eyes widened at this vicious side of Paul, one that was powered by something tragic that had happened in his past, and my heart wanted to break. My family was forgotten for the moment. That's exactly how long this took, less than a minute.

Before I knew it, Paul's face cleared of all emotion and became almost expressionless; he looked like he was bored. I took a quick peek around the room as he cleared his throat, seeing that everyone else was busy eating, simply waiting for Paul to answer. I turned my attention back to Paul just in time, right before he began speaking about his past.

"Well, sir, my mom died of breast cancer when I was seven. Ever since then, my dad has been a heavy alcoholic. He works all day, not able to stand the emptiness of our house, and drinks all night, supposedly trying to fill the spot in his heart that used to belong to my mother. Or so he yelled every drunken night." Even if I was blind and not able to see the way Paul's eyes had become glassy or the way his hands were shaking by how tightly he was clenching them or if I was deaf and not able to hear the hitch in his voice as it tried so hard not to break, I could still feel the pain Paul was feeling as he spoke about his family problems. And it broke my heart. I felt like I was going to burst into tears any minute now; I was surprised I didn't hear anything from my mom- she's _very_ emotional. Paul continued, "Two years ago my dad got into a car accident and was charged with DUI and was sent into rehab because this had happened before but nobody in La Push had the heart to say anything against him. He's been in rehab since then. So, the reason why my parents aren't in the picture is because they're not here. Excuse me."

Ending his explanation abruptly, Paul skidded his chair back before getting up and stalking out of the dining room towards our downstairs bathroom. Him being the big macho man that he is, he probably just didn't want anyone to see him cry. I thought he was being a little silly because I knew no one here would judge him (Peter is going through the whole puberty thing after all), but I was a little upset with my dad because he was the cause of all this. So I turned on him. "Dad! _Why_ did you do that? Now Paul probably feels really embarrassed and he'll be totally uncomfortable with me! Arghh! And things were going so well!"

My mom was nodding her head, agreeing with me, upset with dad for being nosy, but my dad just looked surprised at my outburst. "Well, if you just told me about Paul yourself, I wouldn't have to ask him questions that would make things uncomfortable for you. Besides, how was I supposed to know his past? Did you even know?" he asked, turning things around onto me.

"No, but I was waiting till it was the right time. Until he felt like he could trust me. I wasn't going to push Paul to explain his whole life story to me because if I did it too early, he would get annoyed and just walk away. And it's not like he told you out of free will. He only told you because you're my dad and he doesn't want to make things bad between you guys since he and I spend so much time together." I didn't bother to stick around after that so I got up and followed Paul's trail, hoping I could patch up whatever damage my dad had caused. I'm not sure, but I thought I heard my dad mutter something like, "smart kid" under his breath, but I didn't care enough to turn around.

I walked through the kitchen to the bathroom door, all the while trying to think of anything and everything I could say that could help him feel at least a little bit better, but I was at a loss.

Once I reached the bathroom door, I paused, took a deep breath, and knocked. Before my hand reached the door, it swung open and there stood Paul. I looked at him hard for a second, trying to see if he was alright. His eyes didn't look the least bit red, his body wasn't shaking, and he had a smile on his face. What. The. Heck!? Something had happened in the past five minutes between the almost emotional breakdown and now. Cautiously, I asked, "Are you…_okay_?"

The smile grew a little more and with a small laugh, Paul answered, "Yeah. Yeah, I am." He put his hands on my waist and pulled me close to him, burying my face in his chest before he rested his head atop mine. It felt weird, but only because I felt like I was missing something. Something that should have been obvious. But, whatever. I was just going to enjoy the hug, so I hugged him back. Tight.

After a few seconds, he pulled back. I looked up at him, smiling, happy that he wasn't hurting anymore. He grinned back, his eyes shining with joy and contentment and something else, but I wasn't sure what it was. But I liked it. A lot. "What?" I asked him since he'd been staring.

"Nothing. I'm just really glad your mom's car broke down, that's all."

"Me, too." My smile grew. We looked into each other's eyes and I don't remember a time when everything had felt so right before. This feeling was new and strange, but definitely welcome. But, we had to get back to reality so I cleared my throat and started back to the dining room pulling him behind me. Back at the dining room, things were right where we had left them; Dad was eating away at his lasagna, Peter was trying to put as much food as possible in his mouth and Mom was scolding Peter telling him that he was a growing boy not landfill. (I would beg to differ, though- I've seen some of the things that have gone into Peter's mouth and he resembles a landfill more than a human boy.) Yep. Gotta love the family.

As soon as Paul and I entered, everyone stopped what they were doing. Although, in Peter's case, I wish he hadn't- there were some things I had seen that I would have rather preferred not to have seen. Not able to handle any more awkwardness, I put on a big smile to lighten the mood and asked Mom, "I thought we were going to have cheesecake for desert, not watch Peter being a pig." Peter scoffed at me, but made no comment while mom rolled her eyes at me, getting up and clearing the table for the cheesecake. Dad didn't say anything other than desert.

For the rest of the night, no one mentioned Paul's parents or anything heavy. We joked lightly and just had some fun as we got to know him a little better. I think Dad respected Paul more now because he knew his story. I know it made me see him in a new light. I had had no idea what he had gone through, but I very much liked the outcome.

After we had all had our fill of cheesecake, Paul decided that it was time for him to go. I felt my face and spirit fall immediately. I knew I was being selfish, but I really wanted him to stay longer. It wasn't fair to Paul, though, so I hid that longing inside of my heart for when I would be alone and got up to walk him out the door. Dad and Peter shook his hand while Mom gave him a hug and said not to be a stranger. He said he wouldn't dream of it, especially with the way she cooks. That, right there, made her face shine like the moon.

I led Paul out the door, shutting it behind him. As soon as the lock clicked behind us, Paul took the lead. Hooking his fingers with mine and bringing me close to him, he slowly made his way down the porch steps. It was the slowest I had ever seen him move and it was a little unnerving. I'm sure he could have easily been driving onto the street by now if he wanted to, but instead we were moving at the pace of a turtle. Slower even. I began to wonder if maybe he felt awkward again for earlier. If he did, then I would have to do something to fix it. There was no way I would tolerate any weirdness between us.

"Are you sure you're ok?" I asked quietly, peeking around his bicep at his handsome face.

A corner of his lips twitched as he tried to keep the smile from them. Closing the final stretch between the truck and us, he turned to face me, finally letting the stubborn smile show. "Of course I am. You really shouldn't worry so much about nothing at all."

"Listen, Paul. I'm really sorry about before. I had no idea my dad would go that far, especially since he promised." I bit my lip and stared down at my feet, sidestepping around Paul to lean against the truck. I was prepared for my rant. "And I'm really sorry about your parents, too. I really am. I wish there was something I could do that would take away everything that left you with, but I know I can't. Unfortunately I have no experience in that kind of thing and I'm scared that I'll just end up saying the wrong thing and make it even worse. Now that I think about it, I'm being a little stupid now because I'm doing exactly what I told myself I wouldn't do. Oh Lord, I'm terrible at this. Ok, forget everything I just said and let me start-." I was silenced by a rough finger covering my lips, stopping any attempts to continue my monologue.

"Hannah, please, just stop talking for a second. I'm starting to get a little impatient," he whispered from in front of me. _What a jerk! Here I am trying to comfort him and he tells me to stop!_

I grabbed his hand and pulled it away from my lips, but before I could let it go, I was suddenly trapped in his grasp by one swift movement of his arm. I looked up at him, planning to voice my furious thoughts, but before I could get a single syllable out, Paul's lips were on mine.

I didn't realize at first what was happening, but my mind quickly registered what my body had already figured out. Although I hadn't entirely known what I was doing, I was quickly moving in synch with his lips. It was so natural that even though my mind was a complete blank, I could _feel_ what I should have been thinking. Everything about this was incredibly stimulating, causing every nerve in my body to go haywire. I felt myself relax against his chiseled chest. I felt one of his hands come up to cup my cheek, pushing me closer to him. I felt his other warm hand trail to the small of my back, leaving my skin tingling from just the briefest touch. I felt the way his lips fit perfectly with mine, though I had no previous experience to base this on. It was like something that you just knew, even if you had never even thought about it. Something like instinct.

It felt like only seconds later he was lifting his head just enough to sever the tie between our mouths, though I was positive it had been longer than that. Refusing to be pulled away just yet, I stood on my toes to keep us from being separated, raising my arms up to his shoulders to use as a support. Paul smiled, pulling my lips along with his. He used the hand that was holding my cheek to force me down, keeping me tightly pushed to his torso. I realized then that I was breathing heavily, trying to fill my lungs with the air they so desperately needed. Paul was no better off, breathing almost as loudly as I was. Now I understood why he had to pull away. We were only human after all.

"You know, it took everything in me to not do that at the shop the first time I saw you. And the grocery store. And the car. And every other place I saw you. Even in front of your parents," he breathed, rubbing his thumb across my bottom lip.

"Really?" I asked with a breathless laugh. "I know exactly how you feel. By the way, is that what you meant by getting impatient?"

"Yeah. I finally gave in to my will and decided earlier that I would kiss you today even if it meant I would have to drag you into the woods. You didn't exactly make it easy with your ranting."

I wrapped my arms all the way around his neck, having evened my breathing out to a normal pace. It was just now hitting me that Paul really was _mine_. Whether I deserved it or not, he had chosen me. And with just one look at me he had tied me to him. No other girl would stand this close to him. No other girl would get him to smile that toothy grin of his. No other girl would kiss him…at least not while I had anything to say about it.

Not able to help myself, I stretched as far as I could and gave him a quick, chaste kiss. Paul's grin widened, revealing his pearly white teeth. "You're not helping the fact that I have to go. I might just stay now," he chuckled.

"Oh yeah, and risk my parents catching you and possibly killing you. No, thank you. I don't want this to be our first and last kiss." I slid my arms from around his shoulders, grabbing a hold of his hands and forcing them off me so I could take a small step back. "You need to go now."

Paul pouted and closed the space between us. "But I don't want to," he mockingly muttered.

Knowing that I could easily fall for his adorable pleas, I scooted from between him and the truck, opening the driver's door and pointing to the seat. Paul chuckled and sighed, stepping up to the door. Before he climbed in though, he turned around almost too quickly for me to see and pecked me on the lips. The door slipped from my fingers and was shut at almost the same time he began backing out of the driveway.

As I watched him go, I started to make my mental check-list. Actually, I only had one thing for my list. Call Mandy. I was pretty sure she was the only one who could help me right now. She definitely had the knowledge of what I would need. She was, after all, the relationship expert, or so she called herself. Honestly, I didn't care what she called herself right now; all I needed was her expertise.

Because I was pretty sure I was falling in love with Paul Antilla. If I hadn't already…

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**Don't you just love the build-up?**

**You know the drill. Review, review!**

**--Mary**


	11. That's What Friends Are For

**Ok, so I keep forgetting to explain this tiny detail, but I remembered this time. Renesmee does not exist in this story. It's not that I don't like her or anything, it's just that she would throw off pretty much everything I have planned for the story, so Jacob never met a certain baby named Renesmee.**

**Oh, and I know Paul's reaction in the last chapter was confusing, but it will all be explained in later chapters. So you're just going to have to keep reading to find out. ;)**

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**Chapter 11 – That's What Friends Are For**

Do you know that feeling in the pit of your stomach you get before something happens; something either completely terrible or incredibly wonderful? The way your stomach kind of flips out and feels like it's going to just drop right out of you? Or the way your heart squeezes so tight all of a sudden without any warning? The nauseating, yet amazing, awareness you can't shake off no matter how hard you try? Even if you try to ignore the feeling, somehow, that seems to only make the…_thing_ angrier. It just doubles in power and shows no mercy. Well, that's pretty much how I feel right now. I still couldn't decide if it was going to turn into one of those bad things or good things, though. Personally, I was hoping for the latter.

I didn't really know how this could become a terrible situation, but then again, I had no idea what to expect. I mean, who really knows what's going to happen when your two best friends take you shopping, even after you insist that it's not necessary?

Apparently, Mandy and Claire had decided today was the ideal day to find ourselves the perfect dresses. I knew the dance was only a week away, but still, I had plenty of dresses, mainly thanks to my mother and Mandy, so I didn't see how this involved me. What I had failed to notice (which should have supposedly been common sense according to Mandy and Claire) was that you couldn't go to a dance in just _any_ dress, but it had to be **the** dress.

I had no idea when Mandy and Claire had become such good friends, but they _were_ very alike. They had somehow managed to team up to use their powers against me. Now, thanks to my gullible conscience, here I was, getting into the silver Toyota that might just lead me to my doom.

"Howdy!" Claire giggled, tipping her imaginary hat. She poked her head in between the two front seats, most likely so she could talk to us at a closer range. Mandy covered her mouth with her hand as I climbed in, raising an eyebrow at me. "You look sick. Are you going to be ok?"

"That depends entirely on how well this "hunting" trip goes. And why does everyone think I look sick?" I answered, elbowing Claire accidently while situating myself in the passenger seat. She whispered an "ouch" and sat back, sitting straight against the back seat.

"Oh gosh. I'm so sorry, Claire. I swear I didn't do it on purpose."

With the most serious face I had ever seen her accomplish, Claire stuck her tongue out at me and blew a raspberry. This instantly lightened my mood, making Mandy and I both burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Though she tried to keep herself from giggling along with us, Claire soon joined into our little symphony.

While still laughing hard enough to bring tears to her eyes, Mandy shifted the car into reverse and backed out of the driveway, which I'm sure was exactly what they told you not to do in driving school.

Thirty minutes and a ridiculous amount of fashion talk between Claire and Mandy later, I was put under the spotlight. "Hannah, did you tell Claire about a certain something that happened last week?" Mandy asked innocently, the left corner of her lips twitching from the effort to hide her grin.

"What something? Oh, you have to tell me now. I swear I won't laugh-whatever it is!" Claire piped pleadingly, jutting her bottom lip out and scooting forward to the very edge of the seat so she was directly beside my face.

Mandy covered her mouth with one hand, her expression truly horrified. "Crap! Did I just blurt out a secret?! I am so sorry, Hannah! I thought she would already know since you said her boyfriend hangs out with Paul all the time! I was just being stupid!"

I smiled and patted Mandy's shoulder, laughing at her panicked face while trying to calm her down. "It's okay, Mandy. It's not like I expected you to take it to your grave."

"Will someone please tell me the deep, dark secret? I don't like being the third wheel," Claire whimpered, clapping her hands together as if praying.

I looked over at Mandy and winked, muttering, "Well, I guess we have to tell her now. No harm in telling her, right?"

Mandy caught on to my ruse and went along with it enthusiastically. "I don't know." She leaned in closer to me while still watching the road, whispering, "She doesn't seem ready for that kind of information yet."

Claire groaned dramatically, scrunching her nose in frustration. I laughed and turned slightly in my seat to face Claire. "Don't worry, Claire. I wasn't intentionally keeping it from you. It's just not something I would remember to tell you with how little I see you at school."

"Ok, ok, whatever! I forgive you, just get on with it! You're killing me, Hannah!"

Before I could satisfy her need to know my 'dark secret,' Mandy beat me to it. "She kissed Paul!"

It was like an explosion of squeals had gone of in the small Toyota. It was in such a high frequency that I had to cover my ears for fear that they would begin to bleed. I was pretty sure the dolphins could hear the loud screams.

"Details! Details! Tell me everything! Leave nothing out!" Claire squealed, tugging slightly on my long-sleeved button-up's hem. I sighed with a sarcastic smile and pushed her back against the seat so she wasn't crowding the front of the car.

"All right, just calm down. Ok, so it was last Thursday, when Paul had had dinner at my house. He answered every question my parents threw at him, even…" The expressions on Claire's face while I told the story were priceless, from the way her eyes shut tight to the twitching of her nose. If I didn't know her any better, I would have thought she was a preteen who was hearing about their older sister's romantic date.

Mandy announced that we had arrived at the Seattle Mall just as I was finishing with the ending of the kiss.

"Wow. I didn't know Paul had it in him," Claire breathed, smiling excitedly.

My lovely best friend decided to cut in as she was parking. "Oh, but she hasn't told you the best part." She shut the car off and turned around in her seat, facing Claire completely. "Hannah thinks she might be in love."

"With Paul?" Claire asked, caught completely off guard.

Mandy answered before I could, "No, Claire. With the bus driver. Of course, with Paul! Who else could it be?"

Claire's eyes widened and her mouth opened in a surprised manner. "No way! Are you serious? I can't wait to tell Emily and April…and all the other girls! You know, Leah started a bet for when you would fall for him. Leah exaggerated a bit and said it might take a year, but I guess that can be expected from her since she's not exactly the romantic."

"Whoa! Slow down, Claire. I didn't say I was sure yet. I mean, it's only been three weeks." I put my hand up quickly to stop Mandy before she could get anything out. "Yeah, I know you said three weeks is more than enough time, but I still don't think you're completely right on this."

Seeming a little confused, Claire tilted her head to the side slightly and asked, "What are you talking about? Did you ask Mandy for advice or something?"

"Yes, she sorta did, but she doesn't believe me _apparently_," Mandy huffed, swiveling around until she was on her knees and facing Claire. "Long story short, she can't stop thinking about him, her heart does somersaults when he's anywhere near her, and they can talk to each other about anything and everything. Seriously, if that isn't love then all the magazines I've read are immensely misleading!"

Claire gasped and raised her hand to her mouth. "This is more serious than I thought. She's definitely hooked."

"Exactly what I said! And from what I hear of him, he feels the same, if not more so. I mean, he's like a wish come true!"

"Oh, Paul can't stop talking about her. I'm sure he's already whipped."

"Well then, that's that. They're in love. Hannah loves Paul, Paul loves Hannah. End of story."

"All right! Could you, please, stop acting as if I'm not even here!" I cut in before Claire could continue the discussion. I sighed and prepared for the onslaught of screeches that were sure to come. "You guys are probably right, but that doesn't mean I'm going to tell him or say it out loud. I refuse to be one of those stereotypical teenage girls who thinks she's in love with a guy after a week and gets hitched before she even really knows him."

To my complete surprise, my declaration was met with silence. Not a peep came out of the two incredibly vocal girls before me. They were just staring at me with blank expressions on their faces. I ran through everything I had said, combing every word for anything that might have caused this reaction. With my search ending in failure, I stared back at them both. "Did I fall into some kind of alternate universe?"

Mandy blinked repeatedly as if just waking up from a dream. "Oh, sorry. I kind of…I don't know. I just didn't expect you to finally admit it. Especially not so soon." Claire nodded her head in agreement, breaking into a face-splitting grin.

"Now that that's settled, it's time for the hunt!" I was actually kind of excited about the prospects of this "girl's day out" now. The weird feeling in my stomach was definitely still there, but now that I had gotten everything off my chest, I would try to at least have a bit of fun. Every girl has a little shopping maniac in them, right?

Into the mall we went, three girls on a mission. More like two with one who had no clue what she was doing. Mandy and Claire dragged me into store after store, shoving me towards the dressing rooms and hanging their dress choices over the door.

Claire found a beautiful champagne dress that wrapped around her neck with an open back that made her look radiant in the first store. It was like somehow she had been drawn to the dress and as soon as she tried it on even I knew it was the one we were looking for. Stopping just after her knees, it was not only perfectly designed, but also the precise length.

Sometime around the fourth store, Mandy slipped into a ruby strapless that accentuated her every curve. The dress sparkled with brilliant colors, making it seem as if Mandy herself were glittering. Though the dress reached to her ankles, Mandy decided that perhaps the ultimate dress didn't have to be a short one like she had wanted.

I was beginning to think we were never going to find _my_ dress by the time we had hit our sixth store. It wasn't necessarily anyone's fault, but Mandy and Claire were driving themselves harder than ever to pick out a dress for me.

"Guys, why don't I just wear one of the dresses I already have? This is hopeless. We've been searching for at least three hours now and I don't know about you all, but my stomach is definitely speaking to me and it's saying that it's hungry," I begged _again_ from behind a rack of toddler dresses (Let's just say I had given up already and was just wasting time. Besides, those tiny dresses are adorable.).

Jogging beside me out of nowhere, Mandy appeared, grabbing my arm forcefully and pulling me to only God knows where. Actually, I had a pretty good idea where I was being dragged to.

"Sorry, Hannah, but there is no way we are letting you leave this mall without the epitome of dresses." She stopped before the dressing room door and stepped aside, holding out her arms, which were stacked with a couple of dresses. "Try these on. Claire said her picks were already in the dressing room…well? Get a move on!"

As I stumbled into the dressing room, Mandy shut the door behind me. I saw the shadows of her feet disappearing along the open space at the bottom of the door, indicating she had deserted me.

Placing Mandy's choices carefully on the bench along the wall, I picked up one of Claire's dresses. Just to amuse myself while trying on dress after dress, I had decided to make a pattern of what dresses I chose back at the third store. It just happened to be Claire's turn this time.

The first dress was definitely…unique. I could already tell I wouldn't like it, but knowing Claire, she would want to see me in it. So I picked up the orange, feathered cloth and squeezed myself into it. I'm not kidding when I say feathers were _everywhere_. I even had to hold out the fabric from my chest to keep it from tickling me. _I think Claire's getting a little desperate. I don't need to be an expert to figure out that I look absolutely ridiculous._ Heaving a tired sigh, I unlocked the door and stepped out.

The first thing I saw was Mandy texting rapidly on her cell phone. Not even a second later, Claire shouted, "What the heck are you wearing, Hannah?!" Mandy glanced up from the phone to look at me for a second and returned to her texting. She was instantly back up to her previous momentum, but almost as quickly as she had looked away, she whipped her head back to look at me with bugged eyes. I could have sworn I had heard her mutter something like, "What in the world…"

"What? I didn't pick it, you did. I'm just following the experts' orders," I said, swatting a feather that had come loose from the dress away.

"I would _never_ even let someone think about wearing that monstrosity!" Claire defended herself. She paused with her mouth open, smacking her forehead and beginning to giggle. "Where did you get that from?"

I put my left hand on my hip and pointed to the dressing room with my right. "The room where you had told Mandy your dresses were." Claire's giggles increased in volume as she turned to Mandy. "Un-unbearables!"

I could tell Mandy understood what this meant because she erupted into stifled giggles too. "Shouldn't you be mourning or something? You're losing your fashion sense, for goodness sake!" I scolded, crossing my arms over my chest.

Claire shook her head and spoke between her laughter. "I-I didn't pick those f-for you!" Mandy reached out and clamped onto Claire's arm, fanning herself. "She won't understand you if you're laughing."

Nodding her head to let Mandy know she had heard her, Claire took a huge gulp of air and held her breath for a few seconds. She released it while closing her eyes, pushing her arms out in front of her. "Ok. Like I was saying, those aren't for you. That's the pile I picked out from the racks that I planned to hide before we left. I've been doing it in every store we've gone into. I even gave them a nickname, "unbearables." It's unbearable to even think of someone wearing them. As you can clearly see now, they're incredibly hideous."

I looked down at the dress I was wearing, starting to figure the current situation out "Oh. That makes sense. So …I'm going to go change."

After trying on Claire's _real _choices and forcing myself into all of Mandy's, we gathered our things to leave, myself empty-handed again. "Why is finding a nice dress so hard? Why can't you just walk into a shop and _poof,_ there it is?"

"Because, that's no fun. Besides, you have nothing to worry about. We still have one more store we to try. If we don't find anything in there, then there's still the Olympia Mall," Mandy shrugged, taking another peek at her cell phone. I was beginning to wonder who she was communicating to so much. She was constantly texting or stepping out to make a call. Her parents weren't that strict, so there was only a slim possibility that it could be them.

When I turned away from Mandy, I caught a little glimpse of a wall across the store lined with dresses of various colors. I stopped dead in my tracks, causing Claire to bump into me. "Geez, Hannah! You can't just stop so suddenly!"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Claire. I just…look at that dress over there. The green one," I directed her, gesturing to the garment that had attracted my attention.

Claire and Mandy turned in unison, trying to get a better look at where I was pointing.

"Hang on, I'll go get it," I mumbled. Without waiting for an answer, I made my way over to the wall in a daze, dodging around racks and customers in my path. Once I had the dress in my hands, I headed back to Mandy and Claire, looking over the cloth while I walked, making sure it was real and not just a hallucination.

They both crowded around me when I was back in their line of vision. Running their hands over the fabric, they muttered their words of praise.

"Try it on, Hannah," Mandy commanded, pushing me in the direction of the dressing rooms.

I didn't bother complaining. Honestly, I was pretty sure this was the dress we had been looking for, but it would be impossible to convince Mandy and Claire to let me buy it without testing it first.

In the dressing room, I undressed quickly and threw the satin on, patting it down to remove the wrinkles. I immediately fell in love with it. The emerald color worked well with my skin tone, also highlighting the auburn of my hair. The thin straps fit comfortably against my shoulders, holding the dress aligned with my knees. The top part of the dress fit snugly against my body, contrasting against the ruffles of the skirt. Overall, it was a gorgeous masterpiece.

Aware that Mandy and Claire were probably getting a little impatient outside, I stepped out and was greeted by a flurry of hands.

"Oh my gosh! Look at the detail!" Claire gasped.

"Forget the detail, this material feels amazing!" Mandy scoffed.

"The ruffles are perfect! Not too messy, yet not too neat."

"Damn, Hannah. Where have you been hiding these legs?"

"This will be great to dance in. The support for the bust looks like it would hold the craziest kind of dancing."

Grabbing each of them by one of their hands, I stopped their evaluation before my head would explode with everything I had learned about clothing today. I smiled and put their arms down at their sides. "Thank you," I stated simply.

They grinned back, excitedly jumping in place. The sound of an electric guitar resonating from Mandy's purse cut into our celebration. At a speed I had never seen her move before, Mandy snatched her phone from her purse and flipped it open while pushing it against her ear.

"Hello?" She paused as she waited for an answer, glancing at me once it seemed like the person on the other line had answered back. "Oh, ok. Um, just minutes…no, uh, wait for it…all right, bye." _Officially the shortest conversation I have ever heard from Mandy._

"What was that all about?" I asked curiously, hoping to get a look at the caller I.D. before she put her phone away.

"Oh, it was just Mom. She wanted to know how long it took for the internet to start up on my computer. Apparently it was giving her a hard time. Anyway, go put your clothes on so we can get out of here. I'm starving and I already know where we're going to eat," Mandy sputtered quickly, rummaging through her purse for something. I shrugged and returned to the dressing room.

With all our bags in hand, we rushed out to the car. Mandy was constantly urging me to quicken my pace, while Claire, not even bothering to be polite, commanded me to "use those long legs!" Sure, I was hungry, but not enough to sprint to the car.

"When was the last time either of you ate?" I gasped, plopping down into the passenger seat. Mandy swerved out of the parking lot way too fast for comfort.

"It's a really popular restaurant, Hannah. It could be full in just seconds," Claire said as-a-matter-of-factly.

"No restaurant is worth getting killed for—Mandy, red light!" I yelped, clutching the seat cushion as if my life depended on it. Actually, I think my life did depend on it.

Claire continued speaking calmly, clearly trying to keep me from focusing on the road. I was ready to kiss the ground when we had finally parked ten minutes later.

"Mandy, as long as I am in the car, never drive like that again." My strained voice didn't exactly help the command sound convincing, which was confirmed when Mandy turned to me with an ecstatic grin.

"Let's go!"

Mandy and Claire were already out of the car and waiting for me by the time I was getting out of my seat. "You'd think this was our last day to live or something the way you two are moving."

"And the way you're moving you'd think we're going to live forever. Move your butt!" Claire snatched one of my hands and pulled me after a fast-walking Mandy.

Upon entering the restaurant, I noted the romantic atmosphere instantly. It wasn't a place you would normally go to with a couple of girlfriends, which is why I instantly felt a sting of awkwardness.

"Good evening, ladies. I'm Rhonda and I'll be your server for tonight. Table for three, I assume," a woman that looked to be in her fifties asked us from the reception desk. One look at her and you could tell she was a friendly person who smiled constantly.

"Actually, we already have a table, but thank you," Mandy said in a hurried voice, smiling quickly and stepping to the side of Rhonda.

Rhonda's arm rose to stop Mandy, but she didn't push her back. "You girls wouldn't happen to be the ones that handsome bunch over in the corner are waiting for, would you?"

I laughed against my better judgment, imagining a group of bachelors her age trying to seem like they were waiting for imaginary girls to come.

"Yes, we are. I hope they haven't waited too long," Mandy answered politely. I stopped laughing and stared at Mandy, glancing at Claire to see if she was as surprised as I was. Claire only added to my confusion, looking around the room impatiently.

"Oh, my. You girls sure are lucky. Those boys are definitely the cream of the crop. They've only been here for twenty minutes, sweetie," Rhonda chuckled, waving us towards her with her hand. "I've been protecting them from those scavenging girls for you. They really do attract a lot of attention, don't they?"

"They certainly do, ma'am. I'm very sorry, but we've kept them waiting for a long time and we don't want to be any later than we already are," Claire smiled apologetically at Rhonda, glancing at the diners.

"Where are my manners? I'm terribly sorry, I'll lead you to them right away," Rhonda gasped, walking around the bench behind her and gesturing to follow her. As soon as she was a few feet ahead of us, I whipped around to Mandy. "What in the world is going on? Who's here?"

"You'll see. I was hoping to keep it quiet until you actually saw them, but I guess nothing really works out how you plan it, right?" Mandy answered nonchalantly. I turned to Claire, hoping to get an answer out of her. "Don't even think about asking me. It was my idea to keep it a secret. Of course, the credit goes to Mandy for actually thinking of something like this." Claire leaned across me and high-fived Mandy, both of them grinning from ear to ear.

"Here you are, girls. I'll be back shortly for your drink orders," Rhonda announced while walking past us back to the desk. Frowning slightly, I looked at the table she had led us to.

I'm pretty sure my heart stopped beating for a handful of seconds.

Sliding out of the booth, Paul, Quil, and Lance stood to greet us. "We didn't actually expect you to make it on time. Did you find everything you were looking for?" Lance asked, showing off his perfect smile to Mandy. Though Lance was a few inches taller than me, he was still dwarfed beside Paul and Quil. I wondered if Lance felt intimidated at all by the humongous Quileute's beside him. Based on his looks, he really shouldn't be. Not even Mandy could resist his sharp jaw, green eyes, and quarterback body. Of course, I still preferred the Quileute looks, but then again, I was a little biased.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Besides, all a girl really needs to get her moving is the knowledge that her man's waiting for her," Mandy scoffed playfully, closing the few feet between them to give him a hug and greet his lips with a quick kiss.

By that time, Claire had already flung herself at Quil, both smiling as if they couldn't imagine a better place to be.

"Hey." My heart was already reacting to the voice it had come to recognize all too well, beating erratically as he neared me. Without hesitating, Paul bent down to make up for the distance between us and placed a chaste kiss on my lips, lacing his fingers with mine.

"Hey. What are you doing here?"

Paul smirked and patted his heart with his free hand. "Stab to the heart, Hannah," he mumbled and pouted.

"Dummy," I laughed, pulling his hand away from his chest. He offered another smirk and shrugged. "But I'm your dummy." I raised an eyebrow, surprised by his choice of words.

Whether I was over thinking things or not, I knew that either way it was true. I grabbed a handful of his gray shirt possessively and whispered, "That you are."

"Hello?! Are you two gonna sit down or what? It'd be kind of difficult to eat standing there," Claire called, shaking her head for emphasis. Paul and I took the hint and sat at the edge of the booth. He let me slide in first so he was on the outside, across from Lance on the other side. Since we were in a circular booth, Quil and Claire were between me and Mandy without any way to get out unless the two people from either side of them got out first.

Mandy sat up in her seat and reached across the table, holding her hand in front of Paul. "It's nice to finally meet the guy with whom Hannah can have a complete conversation with. Now I can put a face to the name. I'm Mandy, Hannah's personal advisor." Paul chuckled and shook her hand, nodding his head in understanding.

"It's a pleasure to meet the famous best friend," he tried to say in a businesslike tone, but the grin on his lips gave away the fact that he was teasing.

Rhonda appeared in front of our table from somewhere behind me, holding a small notebook in hand. "Hello, again. What would you all like for drinks?" Once everyone had told her their choices, she clicked the pen and flipped the notebook closed. "I'm sorry if I'm being a bother, but I just wanted to let you all know that you are the cutest couples I have ever seen in all my years working here."

Scooting closer to Lance, Mandy smiled and said, "What normal person would find a compliment bothersome?"

"Oh, you'd be surprised. Some of the people here are incredibly rude."

I leaned my elbows on the table and tried to make myself visible from next to Paul. "I'm guessing no one's ever asked how you're doing, have they?"

Rhonda shook her head and half smiled with a shrug. "It's to be expected though."

"Well then, how has your day been, Rhonda?" I asked, folding my hands together in front of me. Rhonda laughed lightly and placed one hand gently on her hip. "It's getting better, thank you. I should get your drinks for you now." With that, she walked off somewhere behind me again.

"That was really nice, Hannah," Claire giggled from Mandy's side. Mandy shot me a thumbs-up sign, nodding her head simultaneously. Most likely her approval of my actions.

"So, what embarrassing story of Hannah's would you like to hear first, Paul?" Mandy snickered, shrugging innocently at me. I tried my best to glare at her, but Paul's hand on my knee pretty much erased any previous thought. Of course, I made sure the mental note to tell Lance every embarrassing story of Mandy's I knew later on kept itself shown.

"Aw, come on, Mandy. Give her a break. Besides, Paul, Quil, and I were sharing the worst cars we've ever owned," Lance chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot you were telling us about your broken-down Camaro," Quil laughed while Claire rolled her eyes. She whispered something into Mandy's ear that made Mandy giggle. Mandy nodded her head and turned to me, pointing at the guys subtly and mouthing, 'Maybe if we get paint jobs they'll forget about the damn cars."

I was a little surprised the guys didn't notice since us girls were quite obviously laughing. Actually I was pretty sure Paul could feel me shaking from laughter beside him, but he pretended to still be in the conversation of cars.

Our drinks came a few minutes later, only delaying the guy's conversation for half a minute before they began again. I had no idea cars were so interesting to them that they would completely forget about us. As they continued on, Mandy, Claire, and I invented a game to pass the time. Mandy, being the lunatic she is, initiated it with an exaggerated imitation of Lance as he grumbled about his dad's old Mustang. Of course, she hid partially behind Claire so Quil and Paul wouldn't notice. She waved her hand in the air and twiddled her fingers, trying to replicate Lance's odd motions. Claire and I were almost dying from lack of oxygen, not to mention we were trying to cover the majority of our snorts with our hands.

When Quil started in about some car Jacob used to have, Claire decided to take the honor of mirroring his movements. Using Mandy as her cover-up, she started making the most absurd facial expressions. It was kind of cute how she didn't even have to look at Quil to know exactly what strange face he would make next.

Once Paul interrupted Quil to remind him of a used Chrysler he had bought, only to find that the speedometer would never get farther than fifteen, Mandy and Claire both turned to stare at me expectantly, spreading their hands as if saying, 'well?' I quickly shook my head, pointing out the fact that I was flanked by two males, unlike them. Claire frowned while Mandy smirked. She mouthed 'chicken' dramatically, hooking her hands under her armpits and waving her elbows like an idiot. There was no way she would ever let me live this down.

So, pushing myself against the cushioned seat as far as I could, I started mimicking Paul's pounds on the table and grimaces. I didn't think I was doing a very good job, but Mandy and Claire couldn't even look at me for two seconds before erupting into a new round of chortles. Every time Paul would come close to catching me in the act, I'd have to pretend to have been twirling my hair with my fingers. Now, let it be known that trying to rearrange yourself into a normal position in half a second is extremely difficult. Honestly, I had no idea how Mandy and Claire had managed to do this without Lance or Quil becoming a little suspicious.

I was actually kind of relieved when Paul sighed and shook his head, ending his rant. I'm pretty sure I mirrored his exact expression when he leaned back against the seat because Mandy and Claire took one look at the both of us and ducked their heads to hide their amusement.

"What's wrong with you two?" Quil asked, quirking an eyebrow at the two girls beside him.

"It might be gas," I said nonchalantly, trying to keep my mouth under control. Raising their heads faster than I would have thought safe, Claire and Mandy glared at me. Claire pointed a finger at me, rising in her seat slightly. "It is so not gas!"

I shrugged in response, sighing, "I never said I was a psychic. I'm hungry, where's the food?" I felt Paul's hand reach for mine, lacing them together and keeping them hidden under the table. "I think its right behind us," he muttered at almost the exact same time Rhonda announced herself. Raising an eyebrow, I stared at Paul, my lips slowly turning into a smile. "Impressive. Just what I need, a food radar." Paul chuckled and squeezed my hand gently, as Rhonda began setting the plates in front of their respective person.

The rest of the dinner went by without any major incident, unless you count how fast Quil and Paul ate their steaks. Occasionally, Mandy or Claire would strike up a conversation from a random topic that was in their head. Lance seemed to be interested in Paul's work, using construction terms that neither Mandy, Claire, nor I knew. Quil and Paul enthusiastically asked Lance about his football record, once again using terms that none of us girls knew. At one point, Rhonda took her break and pulled an empty seat from a nearby table to the table and sat down. She asked everyone questions, including how we all met each other.

"How did you two become a couple?" she questioned, waving her finger between Mandy and Lance.

"Well, I asked her out and by some miracle, she said yes," Lance smiled, sliding Mandy closer to him again.

Rhonda laughed and put her hand up to her mouth as if she was trying to hide what she was saying from Lance and Mandy. "Kiss-up," she whispered loudly. Everyone, including the culprit himself, expressed their amusement with giggles and chuckles.

"And you two?" she asked Quil and Claire. As soon as she finished her question, I felt Paul tense beside me, but when I looked at his face he was still smiling. I could tell it wasn't a genuine smile though. It looked more like one of those smiles you plaster onto your face when you don't want anyone to know what you're really thinking.

"Her aunt introduced us. It was very sudden. One day we didn't even know the other existed and then we were just…together," Quil explained, looking at Claire adoringly.

Rhonda 'aww'ed and winked, whispering, "Just like Hollywood." Without giving any indication of what she was going to do, Rhonda turned to me and Paul, startling me when she said loudly, "So. What happened here?"

Since it seemed like the guys were answering her every time, I kept quiet and stared at our intertwined hands. Besides, I didn't exactly know what to say. "Well, it was all thanks to her mother's barely alive truck. I came to Quil's auto shop to drop off sandwiches and she was there. I couldn't just let her go home and never see her again, so I took her to the store to get her groceries and drove her home. Apparently my gentleman act worked because she agreed to go out with me."

Because I promised myself I wouldn't blush anymore, I had been keeping track of how many days it had been since my last blush. I was actually quite proud of myself since I hadn't done so in almost two weeks. Unfortunately, now I was back to the beginning. Paul must have noticed my red cheeks because he pressed his free hand against my burning cheek. Though his hand was very warm, it actually calmed the rushing blood.

"Hmm, so it was an act, huh? Not the best way to get a girl, but I can see it worked in your case," Rhonda smiled.

Quil muttered mockingly, "Well he wouldn't have ever been able to get her to agree by being himself." Rhonda laughed enthusiastically, causing the others to laugh as well. I looked up just in time to see Quil's hand whip out to catch a French fry aimed at his head, which he dropped as soon as he realized he had squished it in his hand. Paul was already reaching for another fry from his plate, but Rhonda scolded him before he could even pick it up.

After Rhonda returned to her waitressing, we only stayed for about another twenty minutes. Lance and Paul slid out of the booth, allowing the rest of us to get out as well. Being the guys they were, Lance, Paul, and Quil tried to all leave a tip for Rhonda. Getting a little tired of hearing them say, "No, I'll pay," Mandy grabbed the cash from each of their hands and placed it in the middle of the table. "There. Now she has an extra nice tip."

Once we walked outside the doors, I stopped to face Paul. "Thanks for coming. I'll call you tomorrow," I said, taking a step closer to wrap my arms around him. As every goodbye ended since the dinner at my house, Paul bent down quickly to kiss me. I forced myself to pull away when I saw Mandy making her way out of the door, knowing that she never liked to hang around a restaurant after we had finished eating. Paul kept his arm tightly bound around my waist, making it impossible for me to start heading to Mandy's car.

"I'm taking you home, Hannah. I don't want to say bye yet," Paul said.

"But you just did."

"No I didn't. I just kissed you."

"Exactly."

"So I can only kiss you when I'm saying bye?" Before I could answer, Paul caught me off guard and kissed me again.

"Paul," I laughed against his lips. Placing my hands on both sides of his face, I pushed him back just enough so he couldn't reach me. "Ok, I get it. We have to go now though. My parents are expecting me home soon." Paul pouted and moved to my side, keeping one arm around me.

"See you later!" I called behind me, hoping Mandy and Claire had heard me.

"Bye! Don't do anything you're not supposed to! And if you do, be safe!" Mandy giggled, twisting in Lance's arms to wave at me mischievously. Claire raised her hand up as high as she could to wave at me, not bothering to break the kiss between herself and Quil to say a goodbye.

Once on the street that would take us back to La Push, Paul smirked, "You girls aren't very good at hiding things."

I frowned and tilted my head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The imitations you were doing. By the way, I do **not **make those crazy faces you were doing," he specified, shaking his head slightly.

"Oh. You saw us? Why didn't you say anything?"

"We felt kind of bad for boring you with the car things so we let you have a bit of fun. In the end, it worked out for all of us."

"But we never saw you guys say anything to each other about it."

"We used car terminology. Anyway, actions speak louder than words, right?"

I thought about his question thoroughly, finally nodding my head in agreement half a minute later.

For some reason, that reminded me of the weird feeling within me earlier today, which was no longer there. I guess it had meant something good after all.

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**I'm so excited for the next few chapters! The whole werewolf thing is coming soon! I'm not saying it's the next chapter, but it isn't five chapters away. **

**The suspense is killing me!**

**By the way, if anyone has read the Host, my buddy _Suna Kochou _has just started her Host story called "Point Blank." It is very good and she is an amazing writer, so go read it... please? :D**

**--Mary**


	12. No Need To Rush

**Summer!! Whoo!!**

**Anyway, I really have nothing to say other than thanks to _mhgood, _who gave me a little shout out in her story.**

**Oh, and of course, can't forget my beta, Bemy4ever! :D**

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**Chapter 12 – No Need To Rush **

"I said hang on a minute!" I yelled down the stairs for the third time as I darted down the hall and into my bedroom. Snatching my dress, purse, and everything else that I might need from my bed, I ran back out of my room.

"Knock, knock! Move it, Hannah!" a smothered voice yelled through the front door. I practically glided down the steps, glad of the fact that I was not the clumsy type. With my arms overflowing with all the things needed for tonight, it was difficult to get a hold on the doorknob without dropping anything. I had just barely turned the knob when it flew open and an exasperated looking Mandy came into view.

She stood on the porch with her hands on her hips, tapping her foot disapprovingly. I had to stop myself from smiling at her hair, which was still shiny from her shower and was currently in a loose bun. Even with a supposedly 'messy' bun, her hair looked amazing. "We only have two and a half hours until the dance starts, Hannah! Thank goodness _no one _arrives on time." Noticing that I was having a hard time trying to walk while peeking around my load, Mandy reached out and grabbed the dress from my hands, cradling it in her arms gently so it wouldn't come anywhere near the floor.

"I'm sorry, Mands. After I took a shower, I got a little sidetracked. I really wasn't aware of the time. And then you were magically at my door."

Mandy waved her hand dismissively, flitting down the front steps toward her silver Toyota. "Ahh. At least you're moving now. By the way, Claire's called me five times asking if we were on our way yet. I think she's worried we won't have enough time to fix us all up before the dance."

I snorted and followed her to the car, opening the back door to place my things inside. "Yeah, she's called me about three times to make sure I was bringing everything she had asked me to. Between you and Claire, I think we might just finish with _at_ _least_ thirty minutes to spare."

She shrugged and plopped herself down in the driver's seat, starting the car up instantly. "All I know is that the guys are coming to pick us up at 9. Hopefully we can be ready by then."

Sighing, I leaned my head back against the seat I had just situated myself in and used both of my hands to wipe my wet hair away from my face. Mandy made no move to start up a new conversation and I was actually kind of glad of the fact. Don't get me wrong, I love talking to Mandy, but sometimes it's just nice to sit in silence with her and relax.

When she turned onto a narrow dirt road off the highway, Mandy glanced at me with a grin on her face. "So? You excited about your first dance with Paul?"

"Of course. Can't you tell? I'm bouncing in my seat," I said sarcastically, earning myself an eye roll from Mandy.

"Actually, I'm surprised you're not. I mean, this is the first time he's going to see you all gussied up. You're making it seem like no big deal. I feel like I'm more excited about it than you are," Mandy explained, eyebrows furrowed in confusion at my calm demeanor.

"Oh, is this the house?" I asked when we pulled up the driveway.

Mandy focused on the large house at the end of the lane, nodding her head. "Yeah. Claire said she lives with her aunt and uncle. Um...-"

"Sam and Emily," I filled in for her. She waved her right index finger, nodding her head slowly. "Yup, that's it. I guess you've met them already. Wow, this is a really nice house." I nodded my head in agreement.

Towering before us was a long, two-story house that looked like it had recently received a touch-up of gray paint. The indigo door also had that new paint look about it, however, what instantly caught my attention were the abundant marigolds in each window box and lining the steps leading up to the front door. After looking at it, I knew it was exactly what I had expected Emily's house to look like; cheerful and colorful. I smiled to myself as I thought of who could have constructed the house.

A loud honk caused me to jump in my seat, my head nearly bumping into the dashboard because I was leaning so far forward. "Sorry, Hannah, but I had to get you back down to Earth," Mandy apologized sheepishly, slamming the car door behind her after getting out. I muttered a sarcastic thanks, which Mandy chose to ignore. I followed her out of the car, heading to the back door of her 'baby" and grabbed my things.

"Anyway, as I was saying before you tried to change the conversation," Mandy drawled, stepping beside me with my dress in hand, "I'm pretty sure you've never worn anything this fancy in front of Paul," she said, looking pointedly at the dress in my hands. "Aren't you even a little anxious to see his reaction?"

While beginning to take the short walk to the steps in front of the house, I tried to make Mandy understand where I was coming from. "It's not that I don't care about the situation or anything like that. It's just if I let myself think about it too much, I might talk myself out of the entire thing and end up pretending to be sick."

Mandy laughed boisterously and nudged me with her shoulder. "You're so silly! If that's all it is then there's nothing to worry about." She stopped laughing and stared down with a confused look on her face. "Did I just say _silly_? Oh my gosh, I think my jitters are starting to affect my vocabulary."

Before we could reach for the doorknob, a thud on the other side of the door stopped us in our tracks. Mandy and I looked at each other with confusion just as the door opened. Rubbing his head, a small boy peeked at us from behind the door, tilting his head back to look at both our faces. I could easily see the Quileute in him. He had the same rich, copper skin Paul and all his friends had, the shaggy black hair little boys seem to love, and the same face structure as Sam, if I was remembering him correctly. But what really struck out to me were his eyes; they seemed to pop out of his face and were the same shade of brown as Emily's.

"If you're Mandy and Hannah, then Claire's in her room. If you're not, then who are you?" the boy said while lowering his hand to check for what I assumed was blood.

"Are you ok? You sounded like you crashed into the door pretty hard," I asked, concerned for the strange boy. He opened his mouth to answer, but a voice that I vaguely recognized interrupted him. "Talon! You better not have been playing basketball inside the house again or so help me…!"

Turning towards the opening along the left wall, the boy, whom I'm guessing was Talon, yelled back, "I'm not, Mom! Sophie pushed me into the door when she saw the car outside." A tiny pink flash jumped from out of the opening, stopping beside the boy and yelling, "Did not! You twipped, lia'!" The little girl, who looked like a miniature version of Emily, faced the opening again, stomping her foot and placing her hands on her hip. "Mama! Talon's lyin' again!"

Emily stepped up beside the boy and girl from out of the opening, pulling a pair of oven mitts off her hands. She noticed us instantly, huffing and facing the children. "Talon and Sophie Uley! Have I raised a couple of monkeys? Where are your manners?" The little girl, who I assumed was Sophie, bowed her head and murmured a sorry. Talon followed her example. Satisfied with their apologies, Emily turned to us.

"I'm terribly sorry about that. They're quite energetic. Unfortunately, Sam's been working since early morning so they haven't let off any steam yet. Please, come in. Claire's upstairs in her bedroom." Emily ushered us in, closing the door behind us. Bending her knees so she was the same height as her daughter, she said, "Now take these girls to Claire's room, ok?" She pointed to Mandy. "This is Mandy," she paused to move her finger in my direction, "and this is Hannah. Go on."

Sophie nodded her head forcefully, looking up at me and Mandy. She grabbed each of our free hands with her tiny ones and pulled us after her. When we were halfway up the stairs at the end of the hallway, she glanced over her shoulder at us. "Awe you with Paws?"

I frowned and bent down so I could hear her more clearly. "Are we with who?" She grinned, showing her small white teeth. "Paws. He talks 'bout Hannah lots. Youw name's Hannah."

Mandy giggled beside me. "I think she means Paul, Hannah." Sophie nodded her head, repeating, "Yeah, Paws." I chuckled and straightened myself up again, answering, "Oh, right. Yes, I am." Sophie let go of our hands to jump over the last step, turning around to face us. "I'm Sophie. I'm _fouw_ yeaws old," she stated proudly, bowing mockingly. She twirled around in place, lifting her pink dress around her waist.

"Well, you already know our name, Sophie," Mandy smiled, shifting the dress in her hands. I was pretty sure it was getting a little uncomfortable for her to hold the dress up this entire time. I could say the same about the pile in my hands. Sophie must have realized we wanted to go ahead to Claire's room because she said, "I'm sowy. I'll stop talking now." Skipping down the hallway to the right, she led us past five doors, pointing to the last one at the end of the hall.

"Clay's room," Sophie announced, staring down at her feet. I patted her shoulder and thanked her while Mandy said an enthusiastic appraisal.

For the third time today, a door swung open before I could do it myself. Of course, this time it was a door I wasn't reaching for. It was the door on the left wall behind us that flung open this time. "Oh, good. I was just about to call you again," Claire breathed, steam following her out of the bathroom. She fixed the towel on top of her head and walked to her bedroom. "I decided to take another quick shower before you guys got here."

"_Two _showers? Why?" I asked. Claire shrugged and motioned for us to follow by waving her hand. "It was the only thing that could keep me from going crazy waiting for the both of you." As I walked in, I heard Mandy's footsteps stop behind me. A tiny murmur followed her abrupt halt and Mandy whispered an ok.

"Claire, do you mind if Sophie stays in your room with us? She wants to watch us 'get pretty.'" Mandy giggled softly, gesturing to Sophie, who was swaying back and forth in front of her with her hands hooked behind her back.

Waving her hand again exaggeratedly, Claire sputtered, "Sure, just don't get in the way, please." Sophie let out a squealing giggle and darted into the room, almost knocking me against the doorframe in the process. By the time Mandy and I had both walked into the large room, Sophie had situated herself in the desk chair and began spinning in it.

Mandy walked over to the blue, green, and yellow striped bed, laying my dress beside two others. "Wait. How are all your things already here?" I asked her, noticing that her shoes were beside Claire's, near the work desk. While patting down my dress, she said distractedly, "I came here to drop my stuff off before I got you. That's how I knew the way to the house."

In an impatient voice, Sophie sighed, "Huwy up and get pwetty!" I laughed at how blunt Emily's daughter could be, stepping over to the bed and dropping everything in my hands beside the dresses. Claire walked into a sliding door that led into what I assumed was her closet. Her voice carried out from deep in the mini clothing store. "Mandy, you can use the bathroom to get into your dress and Hannah can use the room. I'll just change in here. There's tons of room."

Mandy playfully saluted towards the closet, gathering her dress and undergarments. "Be back in a sec," she called as she sashayed out the door. I heard the closet door close and noticed Claire had already taken her things into her temporary dressing room. _I guess that leaves me. _"Don't wowy. I won't look," Sophie giggled from her seat, dramatically covering her eyes with both her hands. _Or not…_

*~*~*~*

Another giggle escaped past Sophie's hands, which were covering her full-blown smile. She reached up with one hand again and tugged lightly on one of my auburn curls that hung just past my chin, expressing her amusement with her continuous laughter. "It's so pwetty! I want my hay like that too," she piped, plopping her bottom down on the bed.

Mandy's reflection looked at us from in front of the mirror across the room, raising one of its perfectly arched eyebrows. Taking the clip out of her mouth with one hand, she placed it neatly in Claire's ringlets, pushing it up into a half ponytail. She spread the loose ringlets over Claire's shoulders, fluffing them slightly with her palms. "You know, Sophie, I could probably do something quick with your hair," Mandy mused, watching the small girl's reaction from the mirror.

Sophie gasped and jumped off the bed, running to the chair that Claire was sitting in. "Weally?! Please, Mandy?!" she squealed, tapping her feet on the ground as she danced in place. Claire stood up once Mandy patted her shoulder, leaning closer to the mirror while she looked at her hair. "Calm down, Sophie. If you keep jumping around Mandy won't have time to finish your hair before the guys get too restless," Claire chuckled, turning around to walk to the bed.

"Pshh. They can wait. Besides, they told us 9 o' clock and that's what time we'll go downstairs. They can wait another five minutes," I laughed, moving my legs farther down the bed so Claire could get to her shoes. While releasing Sophie's caramel colored hair from the ponytail she currently had, Mandy scolded me playfully with a wink, "Hannah, Hannah, Hannah. Now that's not a very nice thing to do to our dates. Paul's probably suffering from separation anxiety by now." She placed clips into Sophie's hair, lifting, twisting, and tucking strands here and there.

"Well, I think I know the cure," Claire stated with a giggle and a wink at me while strapping her silver heels onto her small feet. I was very glad I was able to control my blushing at that point.

Mandy glanced at the clock's reflection, quickly hooking a section of Sophie's hair into the high bun on her head. She patted the sides of the bun, dusting her hands off once she was finished. "There," she declared, smiling triumphantly at her ability to achieve a rough version of the hairstyle in so little time. Sophie slid off the seat, twirling in front of the mirror. "Now I look like you," she giggled.

"No you don't. You look way prettier than any of us," I said with what I hoped was an offended tone. Skipping to me, Sophie laid her hands on my knees and said, "Nuh-uh. All of you look cuta than puppies." I frowned and glanced at Claire. She nodded, which I figured meant that the statement was indeed a compliment. "Well, if you say so, Sophie. But I still think you're the cutest," I stage-whispered, tapping the tip of her nose once.

"Ok, it's officially 9:01. We have to go down now," Mandy announced, grabbing her gold silk jacket and draping it over her arm. "Crap. Wait a minute, ok?" Claire muttered, hopping to the desk beside her mirror. As soon as the heel was strapped on safely, she dropped her foot and snatched the lip gloss from the table, applying a touch up to her lips. She whipped her head from side to side when she was finished, scanning the room.

"Here you go," I said, throwing her silver wrap to her. Claire thanked me. Once I had my white dressy jacket in hand, Claire flitted out of the room. Mandy waited for me, wrapping her hand around my forearm and squeezing slightly. "You ready?" she asked. I nodded, laughing when Sophie zoomed past all of us and beat us to the stairs. We heard her stomp down each step, reaching the bottom just as we were at the top step.

"Mama! Mama! Look! I look like a pwincess, too!" she squealed excitedly, darting into the kitchen. Claire covered her mouth, gasping when she felt the cool lip gloss on her fingers. I tapped her shoulder, holding my index finger to my mouth in a sign to stay quiet. She nodded and pretended to zip her lips, starting down the steps slowly. Mandy began the descent two steps behind Claire, and I followed her.

Tiptoeing the best we could in heels, we peeked around the wall that blocked us from view of the living room, trying to catch a glimpse of the guys before they saw us. I had to remind myself to stay quiet as I saw them all, situated in different places around the room.

The couches and sofas were arranged so only one of the loveseats could see the opening, so they really had no clue that we were already here. Quil was the closest to us, his back turned to us as he lazily flipped through the channels of the television. Lance sat like a typical guy (legs spread and slouching, his back against the cushions) in the recliner beside Quil, watching Talon as he aimed the ball at him. Straddling a wooden chair on the other side of the room, Paul instructed Talon to tuck his elbow in for a better aim.

Mandy almost swooned at the sight of Lance in a neat black and white tuxedo; his dirty blonde hair gelled back so it wasn't getting in his face like it usually did. Claire wasn't as obvious with her reaction to Quil in his dress shirt and slacks, but she had a look in her eyes that made me think she was holding in more than what Mandy was showing. I could have sworn her eyes looked glazed over, but then again I was a little distracted myself.

Paul was beyond handsome in his tux, his tie slightly loose and crooked over his popped up collar. With his jacket open, I could clearly see the white shirt that covered his bulging chest, which I wasn't exactly complaining about. I was pretty sure I wasn't breathing for those thirty seconds it took me to look over all of him.

We were broken out of our daydreaming when Paul caught Lance's ball, bouncing it in his hand as he stared at Talon. The little boy nodded enthusiastically and placed his open hands in front of his face. "Spread your fingers a little more," Lance advised, showing the proper way with his own hands. Talon followed his example, waiting for Paul to throw the ball. A smirk pulled Paul's lips up at the corners, which of course only added to his enticing looks. _He looks so sexy…as always!_

In a blur of movement, Paul swiveled his wrist so he was aiming away from Talon and threw the ball. A soft thump sounded when it hit Quil on the shoulder, rolling away onto the floor once it bounced off. "Dude?! Watch where you're aiming. Claire's gonna kill me if she finds even one wrinkle on here," Quil growled, shooting up from the couch. Quil was directly in front of us, so when Paul looked at him, he saw us as well.

I was kind of surprised when my eyes locked with Paul's. All traces of teasing were gone from his brown orbs, now replaced with a look of what I had to guess was a mixture of awe and something else I couldn't quite place. I succeeded in holding back most of my blush, but the powder blush Claire had put on me could be blamed for the red tint in my cheeks.

Talon noticed us then, following Paul's gaze. He must have known that his lesson was over because he grabbed the ball from the floor and walked towards us, which would also be the exit. "You all look really pretty," he smiled politely, sauntering past us.

By the time we looked back at the guys, they were all standing, blatantly staring at us. I was waiting for the drool to drip from their open mouths at any moment. I became tired of waiting for Paul to walk to me and wanted to get rid of the distance, causing me to be the first to move, striding around the couches to Paul's still form. I heard two pairs of heels move behind me, but I kept my eyes on Paul, trying to gauge his expression. I'm not exactly a champion face reader, but he looked like he was in complete and total shock. _What's he thinking? I'm going to have to do something to get a more verbal response. Hmm…_

Stepping around the wooden chair Paul had previously been sitting in, I stopped about a foot away from him, hoping the proximity would break him out of his little world. I smiled and stuck my hip out, laying my right hand against it. When his only reaction was to glance at my hand, I grew a little frustrated. Clearing my throat noisily, I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head slightly. Paul finally moved, closing the distance between us in one stride, wrapping me up in his arms, and kissing me forcefully. His lips were rough against mine, more commanding than usual. _Forget a verbal reaction. I like this one much more._

"Hey, hey, hey! Sorry to be a killjoy, but you're about to mess up your make-up and not to mention Aunt Emily is _home_…with the _children,_" Claire emphasized and though I couldn't see her, I could picture her arms waving in the air dramatically.

I was pretty sure I heard Paul growl, but I played it off to my imagination and unwrapped my arms from around his neck, pushing against his chest. Slightly embarrassed by the fact that our friends had seen our little 'show', I pointed to the floor, knowing he would interpret the gesture. He put me down on my feet with a breathless chuckle, noting the natural redness on my cheeks. I quickly bowed my head.

"Sorry," he laughed quietly, tilting my chin up so we were face to face, "I couldn't stop myself. You look…beyond beautiful. Better than anything I've ever seen."

Smiling, I rolled my eyes and said, "Says the guy who couldn't possibly be any hotter." Paul beamed, shrugging innocently. "It's not my fault if I've been bestowed with these looks."

"Well, aren't you Mister Humble?" I teased in a voice that a grandmother would use to scold someone on their manners.

"Hello! Unless you guys would rather stay here, you _might_ want to put those long legs to use," Mandy called from the door. Turning around, I noticed everyone had already gone outside, excluding Mandy, who was half out the door herself.

I felt my jacket slip out of my hands, only to feel it above my shoulders half a second later. "It's kind of cold outside. You really should put this on," Paul said as he shook the jacket. I slipped my arms through it, shrugging it on as he let it go. Enveloping my hand in his warm one, he led me towards the door with a smile on his lips. For some reason, he stopped when he opened the door a crack, closing it almost as quickly as he had opened it.

He answered my confused expression by saying, "Actually, I think you should wear this too. At least until we're in the actual dance. Hopefully it'll be warmer once we get inside." He pulled his jacket off, swinging it over my shoulders. I wasn't surprised when it reached mid-thigh.

We made our way to his truck, which was parked beside Lance's SUV. Once we were in our seats and Quil and Lance had already started down the dirt path, Paul backed around to follow them.

It dawned on me then that I had completely forgotten about my previous curiosity towards the house. Facing Paul, I asked, "Did you build Sam and Emily's house?" He grinned and shrugged his right shoulder casually.

"I didn't exactly build it. I just kind of…renovated it. It used to be pretty small, but since we used to crash there when the patrols ran late, Sam asked me if I could enlarge it." I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Were you all the rez's crime watchers or something?"

With a frown, Paul answered, "No. Where did you get that idea?"

"You just said that sometimes patrols ran late, so I kind of guessed. Why would you patrol if you weren't protecting the reservation from crime or whatever?"

"I never said we patrolled anything," Paul said in a tense voice. I was pretty sure I had just hit a nerve or something because he wasn't smiling anymore. "So, you just added on to the house, right?" I asked in a weak attempt to change the subject.

Clearly relieved that I wasn't pressing the whole patrolling thing, he sighed, "Yeah. It was actually my first official project."

"What do you mean your first _official_ project?" I realized how much I sounded like an interrogator right now, but was it really my fault if I wanted to know everything that I could about Paul? I think not.

I was glad to see Paul's smile was back when he replied. "Well, I worked on my house for a long time before that."

"Whoa. You built your own house?!"

Paul squinted his eyes slightly, making the most adorable face. "Not exactly. I worked on it, sort of like Sam and Emily's house. Then again, my house was a complete disaster before I fixed it up. But, I grew up in that house, so I couldn't just leave it to rot. Even if it doesn't always remind me of good times."

Hoping that he wouldn't sink into his memories again, I smirked and tried my best to distract him. "Can't wait to see the bachelor pad," I laughed.

Paul glanced at me with a confused expression, chuckling breathlessly. "What?"

"Isn't that what people call a guy's house? You know, like in the movies. You're supposed to have a ton of sports equipment everywhere, a mini bar in the corner, and a fridge stocked with nothing but T.V. dinners." His deep chuckle turned into a full-blown laugh, which I assumed was due to my description.

When he finally quieted down enough to speak, he said, "Oh, man. I think that's the craziest thing I've heard you say. And I've heard you say some really crazy things."

"So you're telling me your house looks nothing like that?"

"Well, I'm sure it looks a bit like that, but I don't have basketballs and baseball bats lying around. And I do have actual food in my fridge," he smiled knowingly at me before continuing, "Besides, I'm not a bachelor anymore."

I couldn't help but be thrilled by the fact. Obviously I wouldn't be so happy if I wasn't the reason he was taken, but currently, I had nothing to worry about.

The sign for the school came up with the announcement for the dance written underneath it. Other students seemed to have arrived around the same time as us, which I guessed from the fresh look of some of the kids walking across the parking lot to the school.

Paul found a parking place a good distance from the school, but I was just happy it wasn't across the street. Once out of the car, he grabbed my hand and we walked to the entrance of the school. "Where did they go?" I asked while we walked, scanning the parking lot for a familiar face. Paul twisted so he could see behind us, pointing to the far corner of the lot. "They're both in the last row."

I didn't even bother looking since I knew I wouldn't be able to see that far. I had already accepted the fact that Paul had abnormally good vision, so it wasn't much of a surprise that he could spot them even in the dark.

"I hope the inside looks better than the outside. Jeez, is that all they could come up with?" Paul said in an almost disbelieving tone. I looked over the lights around the trees that lined the path to the doors, illuminating the banner that hung over the doors.

"Well you didn't expect it to be something extravagant, did you? I didn't even know the school could afford a dance period. Anyway, I'm pretty sure the inside is supposed to look way better than the outside," I retorted, pushing him slightly with my shoulder, though he didn't even flinch.

Paul stared down at me mischievously, his lips turning up into a half-smile. "Don't make me pick you up again, Hannah," he muttered lowly, winking. Glaring at him, I rolled my eyes and stopped since we were in front of the doors. Paul leaned against the brick wall beside the entrance, tugging me to him. He wrapped his left arm around my waist, stuffing his other hand in his pocket.

Quil and Claire met us at the doors first, soon followed by Mandy and Lance. Claire jumped to the door, opening it and bowing mockingly. "After you," she giggled, gesturing to Mandy and Lance. Mandy smiled and raised her chin snobbishly, walking past Claire without so much as a thank you. Lance laughed and went along with the role play, following Mandy. "Thank you, Milady." He bowed to Claire and stepped inside.

Claire straightened up and pushed the door open for herself while Quil came up behind her to hold it. Paul kept his arm around me as he led us in after them, laughing softly at the immature acts of our friends.

"Hmm. Guess you were right," Paul muttered.

As soon as we walked through the doors, it was easy to tell that the school had saved up quite a bit for this occasion. True, the dance was being held in the auditorium and the wide open area beside the building, but at least they had decorated nicely. The short hallway that led to the main office and the gym was dimly lit by paper lanterns that hung from strings of lights. Of course, that wasn't even part of the actual dance area.

I didn't even recognize the gym once we were inside it because of all the decorations. The lights were turned down so that the only sources of illumination were the strings of little bulbs draped over the walls and ceiling. Spots of color were flashing around the large room, though I couldn't tell where they originated from. Purple garlands decorated any empty space on the walls and ceiling. Tables were set up along the right and left wall, purple and white tablecloths over them for a decorative effect. The wide space between the tables on either wall was swarming with people that had already begun dancing.

I felt Paul squeeze my hip gently, causing me to turn to him quickly in surprise. "Oh, sorry. I got distracted," I apologized, smiling sheepishly once I noticed he had been trying to get my attention.

Paul chuckled and shook his head. "I can tell. I've been calling your name for the last minute and you didn't even flinch."

I shrugged and suddenly realized I still had his jacket on. Hunching my shoulders, I let it slide off me and felt it stop when it reached Paul's arm. "Thank you very much. Who knew you were such a gentleman?" I teased, watching him as he removed his arm from around me to grab the jacket properly.

"I'm not usually," he grinned and winked at me. "You must be pretty special," he mimicked my words from our first date. I laughed and threw my arms around him. "Nope. Just lucky to know him," I replied.

"Hannah! Paul! Come on, we found an empty table!" someone yelled over the boom of the music. Lifting my head from Paul's chest, I squinted to see who was calling us.

"It's Claire," Paul said, nodding his head towards a figure along the right wall that was waving her arm in the air. "We'd better go before she comes over here to drag us to the table," I giggled, pushing away from him and making my way around the dancing bodies between us and the tables. I felt his warm hand on my shoulder a fraction of a second later.

By the time we had reached the table, our friends had already sat down in their chairs, draping their jackets and wraps on the back of the seats. I sat in the empty seat beside Mandy while Paul sat on my other side.

I noticed that Claire was rapping her fingers against the table, staring at Quil, who seemed to be oblivious to her glare. Mandy smothered her giggles with her hand, glancing at me for my reaction. Claire cleared her throat, catching Quil's attention. His eyes widened once he saw her expectant look. "Oh no. You don't want to dance now, do you? We just got here. Shouldn't we at least eat first?" he pleaded with a smile, though everyone knew it was useless.

Claire scoffed, "Exactly. I've known you for too long, Quil Ateara. If I let you get anywhere near that food before we dance, there won't be time for anything else. I swear you could eat nonstop for days if you didn't have anything else to do. Let's go." She shot up from her chair, pulling on his arm and using her pout to convince him. Quil laughed and stood up with a mocking groan. "All right, all right."

I gasped in surprise when I felt hot breath on my ear say, "You better dance with Paul. Use everything I've taught you." When I glanced at her, Mandy was rising from her chair, her arm looped through Lance's as they dived into the cluster of dancers.

Sighing, I turned to Paul. I frowned when I noticed he was already on his feet, holding his hand out for me. "I heard," he stated simply, lowering his hand a bit more. Once I took his hand, he led me into the swarm of wriggling dancers. He hovered over me, which I assumed was so no one would bump into me.

Once we were somewhere in the middle of the dancers, Paul turned around and faced me, keeping a hold on my hand as he pushed me against him with his other arm. Something over behind him caught my attention, which I recognized as Mandy. She threw me a thumbs-up sign and wiggled her hips for emphasis.

I nodded and took control of the dancing, locking eyes with Paul and smirking. I moved his arm from around my waist so his hand was on my hip, holding me against him. Trying to remember all the lessons Mandy had given me over the years, I started moving my hips to the music.

Paul surprised me by _not_ dancing bad. I didn't expect him to be horrible or anything, but I didn't think he would be so good either. I had fun dancing with him, more so than I thought I could ever have with a guy; this was so much better than what _Sixteen Candles_ had given me a picture of. We didn't talk much, but I loved being held so close to Paul, so I couldn't muster up enough negative feelings to care. About half an hour into the dancing, the DJ played a slow song and said something about dedicating this to all the high school sweethearts. At least, I think that's what he said, but I couldn't trust my brain's functioning abilities when I was so close to Paul.

Resting my left hand on Paul's shoulder, I exhaled loudly and slowed my feet down to the rhythm of the song. Paul smiled softly at me and twirled me with his outstretched hand. When he brought me back to him, I whispered, "How in the world could someone as tall as you be such a good dancer? I thought height and clumsiness were a given."

"I've been to a few weddings. I was forced to practice the bride and groom dance with Emily and Kim wanted to make sure I could dance with one of the bridesmaids at her wedding without 'crushing them,' as she so kindly put it," he whispered back, leaning his head down slightly so he could speak directly beside my ear. "Besides, you're tall and an amazing dancer."

Trying not to focus on a handsome Paul (not that he could ever be unhandsome) and a beautiful bridesmaid waltzing, I smiled and stood on my tiptoe to place a quick kiss on Paul's lips. He grinned back at me, dipping me down and pulling me back against him in a graceful movement. I giggled and rested my head against his chest as he continued with the steps to the dance, taking in the scent of his cologne mixed with his natural woodsy aroma.

As the dance came to a close, my stomach reminded me that I had not eaten since breakfast this morning. When the song was almost over I muttered against Paul's white dress shirt, "Can we eat now?"

His deep chuckle shook me, which caused my already broad smile to widen. He stopped our strides and swept his free arm under my legs. Instinctively, I threw my arms around his neck and hung on while he picked my legs up. Honestly, I was just happy it wasn't the caveman or cradling type of carrying. I was still hanging on to him, but he was now holding my legs with his left arm against his hip. I'm sure none of the other dancers noticed.

"Sometimes, you're worse than me," he laughed softly as he carried me back to our table.

Claire and Quil joined us at the table a little later. As she sat down, Claire sighed with a laugh, "I can never seem to get food out of his head for very long." Not even two minutes later, Mandy and Lance sat down in their seats with plates of small sandwiches.

Once we were all finished eating and had let out stomachs digest for awhile, everyone returned to the dance floor for the final song. Paul and I stayed behind though. Before he could ask, I stood up and waved for him to follow me, heading towards the door that led to the open area beside the gym. I could practically feel him right behind me as I pushed the door, which he helped in opening.

The outside was decorated just as nicely as the gym. Even the few picnic tables looked inviting. There weren't many people outside, which was exactly what I was hoping for. I moved around the tables until I reached the one in the far corner, which was my usual table. I sat down facing away from the table, towards the forest behind the school. Patting the space beside me, I said, "Sit, please."

Paul lowered himself onto the bench, throwing his arm behind me. I scooted closer to him and wrapped my arms around him. "I don't know about you, but I was getting kind of tired of dancing," I sighed.

"Actually, I was ready to stop a long time ago. I don't understand how some people can dance for hours and hours. It's just crazy," Paul mused.

I patted his chest and shook my head. "Completely agree with you there. Besides, I like it out here much more."

"Is that why you brought me out here?"

"Yup. This is my safe spot. It's just nice to sit out here and listen, you know? I thought I could share it with you, since Mandy refuses to stay out here for longer than five minutes," I admitted. I wasn't sure how he would react to that. But, he didn't disappoint me.

He lifted my chin with his left hand, forcing me to meet his gaze. He smiled and whispered, "I'm honored." Leaning down to meet me, he kissed me tenderly, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

I wanted to tell him the real reason I had taken him out here, but my reasoning was quickly slipping out of my mind. It wasn't his fault that I kept putting it off. No, definitely wasn't him. How could it be? He was just being an amazing guy. That's all. Maybe it was the fact that I really didn't know how to say it. Or maybe it was because I didn't know whether this was the right time or not. Or maybe it was just because I was scared to death of what his reaction might be. Whatever the reason, I was clearly not going to accomplish what I had set out to do today. But I was ok with that for now. Unless something horrible happened, I planned on staying with him for a long time.

I have plenty of time, right? No need to rush anything.

* * *

**Only one more chapter after this one before..._you-know-what!!_**

**--Mary**


	13. Holiday Cheers, Laughs, and Secrets

**Ok, so I feel horrible for taking so long :( It's kind of a really bad habit that I can't push away.**

**Anyway, I'm not gonna ramble on when you've been waiting so long to read this chapter, so just go ahead and read!**

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Holiday Cheers, Laughs, and Secrets**

_"I'm really sorry I can't make it, Hannah. Things here are a little crazy and I can't just leave, even if it were only for a day. Tell Aunt Stacy and Uncle Shawn I love them and I wish I could be there. And would you mind making sure Peter doesn't overeat again?"_

I huffed and leaned my head back on the recliner, squeezing my eyes shut as I listened to him plead with me. "I still can't believe you can't come. This is the first Thanksgiving you've missed."

_"I know, I know. Believe me, if there was any way I could be there, I would have taken the chance."_ He paused as someone on his side of the line called his name. _"I have to go. I promise to make it up to you somehow, ok? Take care of yourself, Frizz."_

"I will, Richie. Bye." Lifting the phone from my ear, I pressed the red button and threw it onto the loveseat across the living room. _What a great way to start the day off. _

Peter leaned over the back of the couch, shoving his face beside mine. "Well? Where is he?" he asked impatiently.

Sighing, I lifted myself from the seat, bending my back to relieve my tense muscles. "He's not coming. Something at the college held him back," I told him glumly. Peter groaned and walked away without another word. I followed him after a moment of stretching, knowing that Mom would need help getting all the food onto the table.

As soon as I walked into the dining room, Mom set me to work, asking me to help carry the plates of food to the table. Dad stood beside her, putting the finishing touches on the turkey.

While I carried the mashed potatoes and yams to the table, I announced, "Richard can't make it." I heard Mom stop searching in the drawers for some cooking utensil as she said sputtered, "Is he ok? He's not hurt, is he? Oh goodness, don't tell me he's in the hospital for another one of his crazy stunts."

Before Mom could break down into an emotional fit, I quickly relieved her of her worries. "No, he's fine. He didn't go into details, but apparently he had to stay at the college to finish something for one of his classes and he would need the entire week to work on it." Mom swiped her hand across her forehead, pushing back any loose strands of hair that were blocking her vision. "Oh. Good," she sighed, turning back to the food on the kitchen counter.

We soon had everything neatly set on the table, covering most of the tablecloth with plates stacked with turkey, peas, ham, and every other traditional Thanksgiving food item. After Dad said grace, we all dug into the heap load of food before us.

"You know, Hannah, I always wondered why you and Richard never dated," Dad mused nonchalantly, pouring gravy on his mashed potatoes. He was behaving a lot more about the whole Paul thing, but he didn't seem to be giving up his small hope that we wouldn't last very long.

Mom lifted her head and nodded while looking at Dad. "I was curious about that too. They always seemed to get along so well. They were inseparable before he went off to college."

_Yaaay. Another awkward conversation with the 'rents. _I chewed on a bite of turkey while I tried to think of a way to get away from this subject and to the next blush-inducing topic. "You guys know as well as I do that Richie and I were never meant to be anything more than friends. For one thing, he's practically my older brother. Do you know how weird it would have been to date him?"

Richard had always _just_ been my support for whatever obstacle came my way. He had been in my life since my birth, seeing as how he was three years older than me. Though he wasn't technically my brother, I had always considered him that. See, Richard was the adopted son of a very close family friend, so of course we were pushed together constantly. Obviously, our parents had concocted some plan for us to end up married with six children or something like that, but we never saw it that way. Besides, we loved to pick on each other way too much to be anything more than friends. We had even given each other horrible nicknames that neither of us was too happy with. I had quit with the names after fourteen, but unfortunately, Richard still loved to call me Frizz every single time we talked. I mean…really? I haven't had that crazy afro hair since the sixth grade. You'd think he would have stopped by now. Then again, I knew Richard way to well to think he would ever miss a chance to pick on me.

Of course, Richard had that sweeter side to him too. You know, the one a caring older brother has for his little sister. The protective, supportive, and 'always looking out for you' kind of thing. I couldn't even count the number of times I had gone to my bedroom having just soaked his shoulder with my tears. I felt kind of guilty knowing how many of his shirts I had ruined, but he didn't seem to mind at all. I just felt safe with him, sort of like I did with Paul. Which was why I was so down-hearted when I found out he wasn't coming up here for Thanksgiving.

A huge smile lit up Mom's face, causing me to worry slightly. "If I remember correctly, you once told me you had a crush on him," she teased, taking a sip from her cup.

"Jeez, Mom. I was going through _puberty_! I had a crush on every guy within ten miles back then. What do you expect from an eleven year old girl?" I scoffed, stuffing a mouthful of mashed potatoes in my mouth in a desperate attempt to end the ridiculous discussion. Fortunately, Mom shrugged and relaxed the frustrated air by beginning to tell us about some festival in Seattle that she wanted to go to

We were soon finished eating, but remained at the table talking. Two hours later, Dad was explaining about a vacation he wanted us to go on sometime in the summer and most of my disappointment from earlier had disappeared. I couldn't really help it if I was still a bit depressed, but at least I was keeping up with the conversation.

The doorbell gave its signature chime, interrupting my father while he was going on about visiting Florida. My heart thumped involuntarily, already reacting to the person on the other side of the door. I stood up and kissed both my parents on their cheeks, ruffling Peter's hair as I passed him. "Try not to overeat, Hannah. We don't want you coming home with a stomachache," Mom called after me as I threw my wool jacket on.

I opened the door and stepped out backwards, shouting before I closed the door, "Sure, Mom! Oh my gosh!" I jumped while I screamed the last sentence, shocked by an incredibly warm pressure on my entire back. A familiar chuckle filled the quiet outdoor air. I sidestepped quickly and spun around, clutching the wool above my erratic heart and breathing heavily. The puffy clouds from my breath must have made me look a little comical because Paul had to duck his head to hide another chuckle.

"You jerk! You can't sneak up on people like that. For a second there I thought I was a CSI case-to-be!" I gasped, filling my lungs with the much needed cold oxygen.

Paul raised his head, a toothy grin on his perfect face. "Well, if you knew it was me at the door why would you get scared?" I snorted and shook my head, trudging past him. I heard his footsteps behind me, but I didn't know just how closely he was following until I reached his truck. When I realized he wasn't on the driver's side, I turned around, only to find him inches away. He snaked one arm around my waist, while the other moved to the back of my neck, pushing my head towards him. He caught me off guard with a _very_ unplatonic kiss, which, I had to say, I wasn't exactly objecting to. His fingers caressed my neck just below my hairline, causing me to shiver. He seemed to take the reaction as a signal to pull me closer, since that's exactly what he did. My hands found their way into his black, disheveled hair, holding onto him tightly. I didn't even notice my back was pushed against the truck until he took a step forward.

I never could get used to the burning feeling that exploded over my entire body when he pressed against me. It was bad enough when just the smallest touch set my skin on fire, but when we were like this, so close that no one could tell where either of us began or ended, it was almost too unbearable to handle. Then again, there was _**no**_ way I was going to complain. It took a moment for me to clear my head enough to think about the situation.

I pulled away abruptly, pressing my hands against his burning chest. "My parents," I muttered breathlessly, glancing at the house. Before I knew he had let me go, he was two steps away from me, one hand futilely trying to pat his messy hair down while he watched the house. I couldn't stop my laughter at his reaction. He was just so…_cute_ when he was trying to make himself look completely innocent.

Paul frowned at me, though his lips were twitching as if he were trying to hold in a smile. "Are we just going to stand here all day?" I laughed, shrugging my shoulders to add to the teasing. Paul shook his head with a chuckle, walking around the hood of the truck and plopping into the driver's seat while I got into the passenger's side. Once he started the car and was driving down the street, I turned the heater up. I was pretty sure my body was experiencing some confusing temperature changes. First the cold air, then the heat from Paul, and finally the magnified cold hitting my heated skin.

"Are you cold?" Paul asked. _Of course not. I mean, who could be cold after hugging you? Hey…_

I slid across the seat, shutting the heater off before I snuggled into Paul's side. "I've decided that every time I'm cold, I'm just going to cling to you," I sighed, rubbing my fingers together. Paul draped his right arm around me, running his hand up and down my arm. "That's fine with me," he mumbled.

The remaining ten minutes were spent in a comfortable silence. That is until we turned onto the narrow path that led to Sam and Emily's house. "I have to warn you, it's gonna be kind of crowded in there," Paul said, gesturing to the house up ahead.

"It'll just be the people from the bonfire, won't it?" I asked curiously. It didn't seem like that house could get filled up easily.

Paul's only answer was a small laugh as he parked the truck in front of the forest along the side of the house.

We hadn't even walked away from the truck before I heard the commotion of activity from the house before us. Paul lazily wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me to the front steps. When we reached the door, Paul just swung it open and walked in, not bothering to knock.

Not even a second later, a little orange and brown form flashed past us, bumping into my backside. "Sshh. Don't tell anyone I'm heew," Sophie whispered, clutching my jacket while she peeked between Paul and me. I was going to ask her who she was hiding from, until a stampede of children came zooming from the living room.

"We're gonna find you, Sophie!"

"Yeah! Don't even try to hide!"

"We have the advantrix!"

"What's an _advantrix_?"

"I don't know, but Uncle Sam and Daddy say it all the time."

Sophie pushed her face against my side, smothering her giggles with my jacket. When the kids looked our way, Sophie gasped and grabbed a handful of Paul's shirt, trying to push us together so we could hide her from view.

One of the little boys put his index finger to his lips, shushing the other kids. He crept forward, going around Paul to find Sophie. "Gotcha!" he yelled, snatching at Sophie's orange shirt. The little girl giggled and danced out of his reach, running around me to Paul and trying to jump on him. "Hide me, Paws! Hide me!" she screeched while hopping up and down. Paul gave me a quick smile and took a step away from me before bending down to pick Sophie up in his arms. She laughed loudly and shrilly when Paul sat her on his shoulders, out of reach of the kids that were trying to tag her.

"Outside! Outside! Huwwy!" Sophie screamed, kicking her legs so the kids couldn't touch her. Paul turned to me and grabbed my arm, pulling me to him. He lifted my chin and kissed me quickly before saying, "Meet me outside." Sophie protested and tapped Paul's head. "No! No kiss! Outside now!"

"Ok, ok! You better hang on," Paul smiled at her, diving out of the mob of children and disappearing into the living room, which I assumed led to the back yard.

"No fair! Uncle Paul, you're supposed to be helping us!" a boy I recognized as Talon yelled, motioning for the rest of the kids to follow him in the chase.

I was still slightly stunned by the whole scene, rooted to the place where Paul had left me when…

"Aahh! You're here!" My mind didn't even get a chance to register the source of the voice before someone came charging down the stairs and two arms smothered me against their body. Since I was taller than the attacker, I had a clear view of their hair in front of my face. Red hair.

"Is everyone always this excited about hugs?" I asked the top of Sarah's head. She pulled back and held me at arm's length. "Oh, come on. You're practically family. I don't hesitate to hug family," she laughed, flipping the fiery locks that hung in her face behind her shoulder.

"Sarah, let her go. You know Sue wants to meet her," Kim scolded from behind Sarah. Sarah looked over her shoulder and plastered a wide smile to her face. "Don't forget I have blackmail against you," she cooed, bobbing her head slightly. Kim's expression changed from one of playfulness to one of horror. Her eyes widened and she quickly stammered, "Y-you wouldn't."

Sarah let me go to turn all the way around, facing Kim completely. "You don't really think I'm that kind of person, do you?" she pouted teasingly. Kim looked incredibly relieved, but she soon pointed a finger at Sarah and said sternly, "Don't you dare tell a soul until I give you permission." Shrugging, Sarah turned back to me and motioned for me to follow her.

She led me into the opening down the hall, which brought me to the kitchen. I had to say, it was probably the biggest kitchen I had ever seen. Then again, if everyone else ate like Paul and Quil, it was kind of necessary to have a kitchen so large. Emily and two women I didn't recognize were working along the island counter, chattering amongst themselves.

Kim, who I had just noticed was behind me, announced our arrival. "Sue. Myra. This is Paul's girlfriend, Hannah." The older woman who was mixing something in a bowl looked at Emily briefly, who gave a slight nod and returned to adding some kind of seasoning to a pot on the stove. "Oh, how very nice to meet you. I'm Sue. I was beginning to worry over that Paul, but I think he'll be just fine now that you're around," she sighed, smiling sweetly at me. The woman beside her nudged her and shook her head with a laugh. "Now you're embarrassing her." She turned to me and said, "I'm Myra," she laughed to herself before continuing, "I feel like I already know you with how much Claire's told me about you."

I took a few seconds to look over the woman's flawless long hair and glowing brown skin, which made her absolutely beautiful. Her brown eyes were the same shade as Claire's, but shaped more like Emily's. It finally dawned on me that she had to be related to both of them. There was really only one thing she could be. "I'm betting you're Claire's mom, which means you're Emily's sister too, right?" I concluded, nodding my head slightly as if that would automatically make it true.

Myra nodded her head with a small smile. Before she could say anything else, Sarah chimed in. "We should go before they ask us to help with the food. I don't know about you, but I am most definitely not a cook," she laughed, playfully pointing to the kitchen counter while holding her hand up to her mouth as if trying to hide it from view of the three women. I heard Kim try to muffle her laughter behind me as Sarah aimed a cheesy smile towards Emily, Sue, and Myra.

"Ok. I mean, unless you really do need my help. I could at least try chopping something." From the looks and _smell_ of it, they were doing a fantastic job without me. I was just glad I wasn't the only female in the house (other than the kids) that couldn't cook.

Bent over the oven and sticking something into the pastry inside, Emily mumbled, "Everything's almost ready. We're just putting a few finishing touches on what's left. You should go outside. I'm not sure how long Paul will wait before coming in here to drag you out himself."

"You know, I wouldn't be surprised if he did just that. Knowing how impatient he is, I expected him to have already come in here to complain," Sue mused, pulling her attention away from the bowl in front of her and smiling at me once again. "You sure have changed him for the better."

I knew my cheeks must have been a scarlet color by then, so I nodded my head quickly and turned around to walk out of the kitchen. Right before the stairs, a hand on my upper arm stopped me before I could try to find Paul. "Wait up. Do you even know how to get to the backyard?" Kim asked, her eyebrow furrowing in a doubtful expression.

Biting my lip sheepishly, I looked around me for any possible hint. "Umm…not exactly. But Paul and the kids went that way, so I was just going to take a wild guess and follow them. Even if it didn't lead to the yard, I would find Paul."

Kim laughed and shook her head, turning to Sarah, who was beside her. "She's got it bad," she muttered while nodding her head, receiving a scrunched-nose-smile from Sarah in return. My expression must have relayed my confusion because Sarah took one glance at me and explained. "You're showing all the signs of a very serious and incurable disease."

I was so shocked I couldn't even make a sound louder than a squeak. "Huh?" I was already making a list in my mind of all the sicknesses that included losing your ability to automatically know your way around a house.

Sarah pursed her lips and nodded her head once. "Yup. Some scientists a bajillion years ago discovered and named it. It's called…um…oh, yeah. Love. It seems to be quite contagious around these parts."

Pressing my hand over my excited heart, I sighed and shook my head with a laugh. "Not you guys too. How in the world am I supposed to work up some nerve if everyone's pressuring me? Besides, why do I have to say it first?"

The smiles on both their faces grew tenfold, and seconds later, they exploded. I am beyond serious right now. They just exploded.

"OH MY GOD!"

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?! NO WAY!"

"AAAAHHH." They screamed together and attacked me with flailing arms and high-pitched squeals. There was no choice but to duck and cover my ears, allowing them to bounce around me and let everything out. A pair of shoes skidded into view from the living room, standing behind me.

"What happened?" a deep voice asked over Kim and Sarah's ridiculously loud shrieks, his words saturated with concern. When they both became silent, I uncovered my ears slowly and peeked up at them. They were both covering their mouths and glancing between themselves and the floor. Just in case they decided to abruptly begin a new round of 'who-can-break-the-windows-first,' I stayed bent over.

"Sorry, hun. Didn't mean to scare anyone," Kim giggled, which meant Jared was standing behind me. He sighed and walked away hesitantly, mumbling something unintelligible.

I felt two hands on each of my shoulders, beckoning me to stand straight. "You're not going to do that again, right? 'Cause if you are, I think I'd rather stay down here," I said, though I knew I wouldn't. What if somebody walked up just like Jared had, but this time they actually paid attention to my unlady-like position?

Sarah's face suddenly appeared below me, meaning she was on her knees beside me. "Hannah," she whispered in a sing-song voice, "you can't just leave us without any details."

Straightening my back slowly while Sarah stood up as well, I placed my right hand on my hip and used the other to cover my face. "What details? There's really nothing to tell." One of them, or maybe both from the sound of it, scoffed and exhaled loudly. I felt a hand on my own, pulling it away from my face and holding it down between us. "How long have you known, sweetie," Kim asked softly, watching me with a truly sincere look in her eyes.

"I don't know. I think I've been in love with him since I first saw him, but I never really thought about it for more than a few seconds until about a week ago. I've… well, I planned on telling him a few days ago, but I couldn't do it. It doesn't look like I'll be able to do it anytime soon really," I explained disappointedly, mentally cursing myself for tearing up. Blinking my eyes rapidly, I took a deep, shaky breath and tried to compose myself. "Gosh, I feel like such a blubbering bimbo right now. I haven't cried over a guy since fourth grade."

They laughed softly, trying to comfort me. "That's love for ya. It's just one massive mood swing," Sarah laughed at her own joke. Seeing as how laughter is contagious, Kim and I giggled along with her.

I wiped away the lone tear that had escaped, rubbing my cheeks vigorously. "Ok, no more unnecessary crying. I told you everything there is to tell." Sarah lifted my chin with her thumb, patting my cheek softly. "There's nothing to worry about, Hannah. We speak from experience." Kim nodded her head in agreement. "Besides, Sue's right. You've changed him and I don't think he would have bothered controlling himself if he didn't love you, which, by the way, he does."

"How do you know that though? I can't be that certain. And why does everyone keep saying that I changed him? Was he really so different than he is now?"

Kim groaned and pretended to pull at her hair. "Oh jeez, you really have no idea. To tell you the truth, I never liked Paul. I just kind of categorized him as another one of those people to avoid at all costs. Unfortunately, seeing as how Jared is practically his brother, it was extremely difficult to stay away from him. He was just a big pain in the ass. A rude, annoying, stuck-up, aggressive, idiotic, short-tempered, psychotic pain in the ass." _Wow. She really didn't like him._

"But," she continued, "when he met you, all that changed. Actually, he's still a little annoying and rude sometimes, but it's nothing compared to the 'before-Hannah' Paul. He's turned into a pretty good guy thanks to you. He even plays with the kids now."

Sarah whistled lowly after a moment of silence, fanning Kim with her hand. "Let it out, girl. Just. Let. It. _Out._" Kim laughed breathlessly and smacked her hand away, rolling her eyes. Suddenly, a mischievous grin grew on Sarah's face. "Yay. Now I have something on both of you." She did a terrible imitation of a mad scientist laugh, pointing at me and Kim.

Kim glared at her, muttering to herself, but I did catch the "try" and "strangle" somewhere in there. She stopped suddenly and clapped her hands together. "Ok, so back to the present scenario." Pointing behind me, she said, "The backyard's that way."

I turned to the direction she was pointing, groaning when I noticed it was towards the living room, where I had previously tried to escape to. "Are you kidding me? You stopped me just to interrogate me, didn't you?"

Looking away and shrugging innocently, Kim sauntered past me. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Sarah shoved her hands in the back pockets of her form-fitting jeans and followed Kim, joining in the teasing. "Tsk-tsk, Hannah. Do you really think _we_ would do that? We, of all people?"

"Whatever," I muttered, following them into the spacious room. They quickly introduced me to three men who were watching a football game on the television while they sipped on the beer cans in their hands. The brown-skinned man in the wheelchair was Billy, apparently Jacob's father. The tired-looking one with a sheriff's jacket on, a close friend of Sue's, was called Charlie. Claire's dad, Chris, was the last one. They automatically recognized me as 'Paul's girl,' but returned their focus to the game after the formalities were over.

"Is that going to last very long?" I whispered as we neared the sliding glass door at the other end of the room.

"What?"

"The nickname. It's seems like I've been dubbed 'Paul's girl.'"

Kim giggled and Sarah formed her mouth into an 'o.' "Who knows? Eventually everyone will call you Hannah, but don't expect it anytime soon. I was called, and don't you dare laugh," she said quickly, pausing to wait for my agreement, "'Brady's babe.'"

I bit my bottom lip and tried to cover my smile by pinching the bridge of my nose. "I said don't laugh!" Sarah huffed, trying her best to make an intimidating face while hiding her own grin. Not able to open my mouth without the chance of a laugh slipping out, I shook my head and waved my hand for her to continue.

"Anyway," she sighed, "it's kind of a tradition for everyone. If someone can get away with calling you that for years, then they'll do it. My nickname lasted for a couple of months until one day I embarrassed April so much that she almost died of a heat stroke." She smirked and stuck her chest out proudly.

Kim shook her head while laughing breathlessly. "I remember that. Jacob had called you… the 'name' and you just smiled at him and pulled April away from him for a _special_ talk alone. Oh, poor girl. I will never forget the look on her face when she came back into the room and told Jacob to never call you that again. I think everyone else was too nervous to call you anything but Sarah after that." Sarah blew on her fingers and brushed them on her shoulder. "What can I say? I know how to get into anyone's head," she shrugged, smiling widely as she turned to me. Gesturing towards Kim with a nod of her head, she leaned closer to me.

"Kim here got lucky. She complained to Jared about it three weeks after they started dating and Jared made sure no one called her 'Mrs. Purser' again," Sarah rolled her eyes playfully and shook her head shamefully.

"I did not complain! I just asked him when they would start calling me by my real name and he turned into Mr. Protective and promised everyone would call me Kim by the next day," Kim rebutted, nodding and shaking her head while she spoke. Sarah raised her hands in a disbelieving manner, mumbling, "Whatever you say." With a grunt, Kim gave up trying to correct Sarah.

Sarah turned back to me suddenly, taking one more glance at Kim. "But, if I were you, I wouldn't get my hopes up. Paul's never going to tell them to stop calling you his girl. Not unless you begged him to." As if already anticipating my next question, Sarah continued, "He won't tell them to stop because he loves hearing everyone call you his girl. Anytime Embry or Brady or whoever talks about 'Paul's girl,' his face lights up and he gets this really goofy grin on his face. It's actually kind of sweet how he's so possessive."

The glass door before us slid open as Kim pulled on it, motioning us through first. The first thing I noticed was Seth laying on the grassy floor with his hands behind his head, a little boy holding onto his leg as if trying to keep him down. It seemed pretty obvious that Seth could have easily stood up, but he just laid back, occasionally groaning dramatically.

The yard was pretty large, surrounded by tall, moss-covered trees and overgrown bushes. Along the right side of the yard were three picnic tables set up in a long line with a crazy amount of pull out chairs instead of the usual attached bench. Two kids were looking under the tables, dropping to the floor and crawling around the chairs as they searched for whatever it was they were looking for. A swing set stood in the center of the yard, currently occupied by a boy, who had somehow climbed on top of the overhang of the slide, April, and Claire. Squinting his small eyes, he scanned the yard with his hand on his forehead to provide shade from the sun. To the far left corner of the area was a huddle of comfy-looking lawn chairs. They sat near a hammock that was tied to two sturdy trees that seemed to have grown a few feet away from the edge of the forest. Another kid, a little girl this time, was walking from chair to chair, peeking under each one and even lifting the cushions on some of them.

"Tristan! Get down from there this instant!" I gasped and stumbled away from the sudden screech, falling against Sarah. She must have been caught off guard too because she fumbled with trying to catch me and herself at the same time. Thank God for the fact that Embry happened to be standing right beside the door talking to Jacob or else we would have definitely ended up in a pile on the floor.

Embry shifted us into upright positions at the exact moment that we landed against him, keeping his arms up near us for a moment. I finally let out the breath I'd been holding since Kim's outburst and covered my face with my hands. "Jeez, Kim! You scared the bejesus out of me. And thank you, Embry," I sighed breathlessly, lifting my hands so I was blocking the sun from my eyes.

"No problem, Paul's girl," Embry chuckled, turning slightly so he was facing Jacob, who was laughing silently.

I looked at Kim only to find her staring at the little boy on top of the swing set. He continued with his search, completely ignoring the commotion we had just caused.

"Sorry, Kim. I tried to talk him out of it, but he's as stubborn as every other man here," April smiled apologetically from her seat on the swing. Claire giggled and nodded enthusiastically, agreeing with April's statement. She threw a quick wave and smile combo at me before rolling her eyes playfully.

The boy, whom I assumed was Tristan, put his hand down and stared at Kim. "I can't get down yet, Mommy. I have to find Daddy and Uncle Paul," he called across the yard, pouting slightly.

"Well, I'm sorry, baby, but you're going to have to look for them from the ground," Kim said while walking to the slide. Tristan frowned, but began climbing down from his very high position. By the time Kim had reached the swing set, Tristan was already pushing himself down the green slide.

"Now go play and don't even think about doing anything dangerous again," Kim scolded, waving him away. She turned around once he was running towards the long table, a small frown appearing on her face. "I'm sorry I scared the both of you. You know how it is with children though."

I opened my mouth to answer her but a loud shriek/giggle cut me off. I turned in time to catch the little girl that had been near the hammock lunge for something in the bushes behind her. As soon as she disappeared behind the concealing leaves, a huge silhouette rolled from the exact spot she had jumped into. Instantaneously, I realized the silhouette was Paul. With inhuman speed, he came out of his roll on his hands and knees, pushed himself off the ground, and ran for the other side of the yard.

His appearance seemed to have triggered something inside all of the children because the four who were previously searching the yard now screamed and charged after him. The boy who was holding down Seth shouted encouragement to the others, waving one hand wildly in the air.

"Get him!"

"Don't let him get away!"

Paul turned his head over his shoulder and taunted the kids by sticking out his tongue at them, shaking his head teasingly. He, of course, hadn't noticed Talon running around the picnic tables, stopping right in Paul's path. Talon took advantage of Paul's obliviousness and tackled him, which honestly seemed a little crazy to me. I mean, he didn't really think he could take down a giant like Paul, did he? Following Talon's lead, the three running rugrats leaped onto Paul. I hadn't even realized that I was laughing until I felt a burning in my chest, warning me that I needed to breathe.

Though I'm pretty sure Paul could have easily just thrown the kids off, he spun and fell to the floor, making sure to keep their small bodies on top of him rather than under.

"You're all horrible cheaters! Four against one is not fair!" He pouted and tickled each of them until they rolled off him. Sitting up, he raised his hands and muttered, "Ok, you got me." A smirk crept onto his adorable face as he shrugged. "But you haven't won yet. You still have to find Jared."

They laughed and ran away triumphantly, whooping and spreading out all over the yard again. I covered my mouth with my hand, attempting to stop, or at least muffle, my laughter. Paul caught my eye, raising an eyebrow at me. Keeping my hand placed over my mouth, I walked across the distance between us, stopping beside him. "Having f…fun?" I said while forcing my giggles down and dropping my hand.

Paul picked himself off the ground, dusting off his shirt and the back of his jeans. "Like you've never played hide and seek before," he scoffed, a wide smile on his lips.

"Of course I have. I just never expected to see you playing it. And I never would have thought of you getting beaten by a couple of tiny kids." I smirked at him, challenging him to bicker back. His smile only grew bigger as he grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine.

A blinding flash broke our eye contact, causing both of us to blink in confusion. "Sorry, I had to do it. You just looked so cute together," Emily apologized with a sweet smile. She held a digital camera in her hand, nodding her head at the screen. "Perfect."

"What is?" I asked, craning my neck to try and get a peek at what she was smiling at. She hid the camera behind her back, biting her lip and refusing to look at me.

"Uh, the food. Yeah, the food," she stammered, pacing away from us.

"The food's ready?" Paul said excitedly, taking off after her and pulling me behind him. Before he could catch up to her, Myra, Sue, Charlie, and Billy exited the house through the sliding glass door, each carrying plates and bowls of delicious looking food. They made their way to the picnic tables, placing the food across the middle of the tables. Jacob and Embry trudged into the house, arguing about something enthusiastically. "I should go help," I said, trying to step around Paul.

"Don't worry about it. There are only a few more plates. Jacob and Embry can handle it," Sue explained, pointedly staring at our intertwined hands. "Go ahead and find seats." She dismissed us with a small smile and a wave of her hand.

I felt Paul shrug and he turned his head to gesture towards the chairs. "Is there a seating arrangement or something?" I asked. He chuckled and shook his head, leading me to a chair at the middle table. "No, but you do have to sit next to me."

I raised my eyebrows at him and put my hand on my hip. "Oh really? And what if I didn't want to?" I asked, trying to keep myself from smiling.

He mirrored my expression, leaning closer to me. "Well then, you'll just have to put up with it because I'm not letting you sit anywhere else."

I sighed dramatically and sat down, twisting in my seat so that I was still facing him. "Fine. I guess I could bear sitting next to you for awhile." Paul placed his left arm on the table and his right arm on my chair, blocking my view of everything but him. He bent down until he was beside my ear and whispered, "Good. Besides, I don't think you'll have a problem." Pulling back to face me, he kissed me torturously slow, refusing to let me speed up the pace. He left my lips briefly, but only to kiss his way to my ear along my jaw line. I felt his warm lips touch the sensitive spot behind my ear, making me practically melt in my seat. "I-I-I think…ok," I stuttered, trying to make a coherent sentence even though he was making it extremely difficult.

Paul chuckled and pulled away to sit on his heels in front of me, crossing his arms on my lap. I was pretty sure my cheeks were flushed and my heart was beating way too fast, but I tried to act cool and collected.

"Uh, Paul. I'm sorry, but could you come here for a second?" Emily said quietly, rubbing her hands together in front of her. Paul took one look at her and quickly stood up. "Sure, Emily. I'll be right back," he said to me, following Emily to the back door of the house. Jared and Embry met them there and they formed into a huddle. I could see Emily watching the tree line behind the house, gesturing towards it a few times. Paul seemed to be arguing with the others, shaking his head incessantly. After a couple of minutes they all walked away in separate directions, each returning to their previous locations.

"Is something wrong?" I asked as Paul came closer to me. He shook his head quickly and chuckled, though it sounded incredibly forced. "No. I just left something in the car. Emily's insisting that she needs it so I have to get it now."

"Ok. I'll come with you," I offered, starting to rise from my seat.

"No," he said, stopping me with a hand on my shoulder. "It's heavy so Embry's helping. Just stay here and have fun, ok?"

I nodded my head and smiled, which he returned before he turned away and stomped to the side of the house, soon joined by Embry. I didn't even have a chance to watch him disappear in front of the house before Sarah and Claire bounded beside me, grinning happily.

"Guess what?" Sarah sat down beside me, waiting for my response.

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and looked away. "I can't tell you. You'll find out soon enough though." Claire laughed and plopped down on the grass.

"Well then what was the point of asking her? You're just trying to annoy the both of us, aren't you?" Claire scoffed, leaning back on her hands. They were acting really weird, or at least more than they usually did. It wasn't the fact that they were talking about absolute nonsense or that they were laughing and smiling nonstop. Mainly it was because they kept glancing around subtly, as if they were looking for something else. Every time Claire laughed, she would throw her head back and scan the yard quickly. Sarah pretended to get insulted every ten seconds, turning her head away and watching the side of the house.

I was getting ready to ask them if I could help them look for whatever they were both trying to hide from me, but something interrupted me. I didn't quite realize what it was at first. It was a loud piercing sound that seemed to come from the forest around us, reverberating around the yard. When I glanced at Sarah beside me, she looked scared to death. She was sitting statue still, a little paler than usual. Claire furrowed her eyebrows and watched the tree line intently, but she didn't seem to be as affected by it as Sarah was. A second burst of the sound came. I finally knew what it was.

"Are there wolves nearby?" I asked Claire, since I doubted Sarah would speak. Without looking at me, Claire answered, "Yeah. Tons of them. They tend to get close, but they've never hurt anyone. You probably won't even see one."

"Wow. That is_ awesome_."

Claire whipped her head around to stare at me wide-eyed, sitting completely straight. "You're not scared?"

I frowned and shook my head. "Of them? No way. I always thought it would be cool to get up close to one. Do you think I could see them if I went in there?" I gestured towards the trees at the same moment another howl cut through the air. Claire hesitated, watching me as if I were going to spontaneously combust in a matter of seconds.

"Um…no. They, uh, don't like people," she stuttered, standing up quickly and brushing off the back of her jeans. "Let's get some food before everyone else sits down." She hurried off to the end of the third table, where Emily and April were organizing the bowls and plates. I took another glance at Sarah to make sure she would be fine on her own. She didn't even seem to notice I was still sitting beside her, so I got up quickly and followed Claire.

After we chatted a bit with Emily and April and filled our plates with the food we wanted, we returned to our spots beside Sarah, who still hadn't moved since the wolf howl. I leaned closer to Claire, keeping my voice low. "Is she ok?"

Claire stopped drawing a smiley face in her mashed potatoes and peeked around me to take a look at Sarah. "Yeah, she's, uh, kind of afraid of wolves. She'll snap out of it soon enough."

More people began to sit down at the tables with their feasts, starting up their own conversations. Kim and Jared sat down across from us with Tristan between them. Tristan was abnormally hyper. He practically bounced in his seat, walking his hands across the table and making the sound effects for their crashes. He even made one of his hands pretend to be a doctor as it tried to revive his other hand.

Suddenly, I felt Sarah jump off the seat beside me. By the time I had turned my head to find her, she was already across the yard, throwing herself onto Brady. He brushed his hands over her hair, bending down to whisper something in her ear.

Embry and Quil were already walking ahead of them, pointing towards the food. Half a second later, Sam and Paul stepped around the corner of the house, muttering back and forth to each other. It must have been something serious because even from where I was sitting, Sam seemed to be talking in a stern voice.

"Late as always," Claire sighed. I swiveled around in my seat to face her. She shook her head and placed a carrot on each side of the mashed potatoes, which looked sort of like ears. "Well, at least they showed up. Unlike a certain somebody who left me waiting after school for an hour," I said, trying my best to look away from her.

Claire pointed the spoon in her hand at me. "You're not talking about me, are you? I had to ditch you for Paul." I frowned and glanced down the table, where the guys (where did Colin come from?) were asking Emily and April for slices of ham and turkey. Paul caught me watching him fill his plate, sending a smile my way. _How does he always know when I'm looking at him? He must have some weird sixth sense or something._

I returned my attention to Claire, raising an eyebrow at her. "You mean you planned to call Paul to pick me up the minute you asked me if I needed a ride?"

"Well, actually I planned it that morning, but you basically got it," she shrugged, scooping mashed potatoes into her mouth.

I had to laugh at how nonchalant she was about the whole thing, not even bothering to think I might be mad at her. I heard the chair beside me scrape against the grass, automatically making my grin widen. His warm hand briefly touched my thigh, causing me to hold my breath. Claire smirked and played with her spoon, raising her chin so she was staring at the sky. I waited for him to say something.

Paul leaned closer to me and whispered so only I could hear, "Are you mad at me?" I frowned and automatically turned to face him. His expression reminded me of a little boy who'd just gotten punished for a month.

"Should I be?" I asked slowly, biting my cheek to keep my smile at bay. Without breaking eye contact, he shook his head and attempted to smile. "Then, of course not. Cheer up, kid." I didn't really expect him to do exactly what I'd said, but he actually looked happy after my statement.

After a quick speech and cheer from Billy, everyone began eating the mixtures of food on their plates. At one point, Tristan almost choked, but (as he explained) it was only because he was trying to eat like 'daddy.' Anyway, after five plate refills for pretty much every guy and a couple of bathroom breaks for the kids, Paul pulled me away from the few people still left at the table.

"I still don't get why the horse had to die. He was so pretty," I sighed as Paul wrapped his arm around my shoulders, leading me to the far side of the yard. For some reason, Claire had mentioned something about the movie _Dances with Wolves_, which of course triggered my ranting.

"Well, would you rather they have kept the horse and turn it to the dark side?" he asked, a slight smile on his lips. I swatted at his side, scoffing, "It's not funny. I love that movie, but it would be so much better if he had somehow escaped _with _the horse. And the wolf! The poor thing. He was just so adorable!"

Paul was silent for a moment, then he pulled me closer and kissed the top of my head. I smiled at him and raised an eyebrow, confused as to why he was shaking his head and laughing softly to himself.

"Ooh! Hammock!" I gasped, disentangling myself from Paul's side and rushing to the comfortable-looking net. Without even thinking about it, I plopped down on it, landing perfectly in the middle. "I love hammocks."

Paul stared at me with a small smile. "What? No room for me?" he pouted teasingly. He walked around one of the trees holding me up, carefully laying down beside me. When he was sure the thing wouldn't flip over and drop us both on the ground, he blew a relieved sigh.

I laughed, scooting closer to him. "You are so not a hammock kind of guy," I told him. He turned to his side and snaked his arm around my abdomen, pressing me against his warm and hard chest. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well… when I was little my grandparents had a hammock in their backyard. My grandpa would sit or lay with me every time we came to visit them up here. It was kind of our special thing. Because of him, lying down in a hammock has always been calming to me." I looked over my shoulder to smile at him. "So, basically, I always think of grandfathers in hammocks, not big and rugged boyfriends."

Paul chuckled and tucked my hair behind my right ear. "Well, I'm sorry I've changed your views on this."

"Don't be. I like this one just as much," I clarified, stroking his scruffy cheek.

"Sorry to interrupt, but… well, I don't really have a good reason for doing it. I just wanted someone to talk to," Claire chided, sitting down in the lawn chair right beside my head. Not even two seconds later, Kim, Jared, Sarah (who looked back to her normal self), and Brady also joined us.

"Yeah, no problem. It's not like I care if I can't get any alone time with my girlfriend," Paul sighed sarcastically, pushing me gently so I was lying across the hammock with my legs dangling off the edge and facing our little posse. He muttered something I couldn't hear under his breath as he sat up, lying beside me with his feet touching the ground.

"Oh, please. When you're not out with her somewhere, you're over at her house. And besides, you get to spend a ton of time with her when you drive her everywhere, so stop complaining," Claire reprimanded him, sticking her tongue out for an added dramatic effect.

"And it's not our fault you're too chicken to say anything," Quil said as he made his way to Claire, picking her up without any effort and sitting her down on his lap. I was surprised at how Claire didn't even seem to notice she had been moved at all.

"Shut up," Paul growled, catching my attention. If looks could kill, I'm pretty sure Quil would be dead and buried already. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Quil shrug. "The truth hurts."

Paul's jaw tensed and he tightened his hold on me, keeping me squished to his body. I tried to lighten the mood by glancing at all the girls and laughing forcefully. "Guys and their macho-ness. Why can't they be more like girls?"

Everyone (except Quil and Paul, _what is up with these two?_) laughed and Sarah snorted between giggles, "Hannah, I'm pretty sure if guys were more like girls then we would all be lesbians. Besides, their macho-ness impresses us, right?" She winked dramatically, making sure that everyone, including the guys could see.

"Ok, I know some of you aren't old enough to drink, but this is a holiday, so I think we can break the rules for this," Emily called as she jogged towards us with a glass bottle in her hands. Sam followed right behind her with a couple of champagne glasses in his hands. She stopped in the middle of our circle, waiting for Sam to pass out the glasses. As he handed one to Claire, he said sternly, "And don't think this means we're ok with you drinking. You're still sixteen."

Claire nodded her head and scrunched her nose up. "Yes, _sir._ How dare I even _think_ that now I can go out and drink booze all night? Oh, I'm so ashamed," she replied in a monotone, smiling innocently at Emily as she poured champagne into the glass.

When Sam tried to hand a glass to Kim, she shook her hands and said, "No thanks."

"I know you're not fond of drinking, Kim, but you should have some fun on Thanksgiving," Emily said, stepping beside Sam as soon as she was finished with Brady's glass.

Kim shook her head. "No, really, I'm fine. I can have plenty of fun without drinking."

"I can't drink if you don't, Kim. I'd feel weird if someone who was actually allowed to drink didn't drink while I did," Claire whined, raising her champagne in front of Kim's face.

"I can't, Claire."

"Come on, Kimmy. Just have one glass," Quil pleaded.

"I _can't,_" Kim repeated. Jared frowned at Quil and told him to leave her alone. Kim's next move was so quick that I almost didn't catch it, but just from that little move, I instantly knew exactly why she wouldn't drink. Or like she was saying, why she _couldn't_.

She had glanced at her belly.

"Maybe next time, right?" Sarah said loudly, half-smiling at Kim. _She must know too. Of course she does. She said she knew something about Kim that she could use as blackmail. This has to be it._

Emily must have noticed Kim's glance too, because she took a step back and patted Sam's shoulder, mentioning that she should get to everyone else.

"Aw, looks like Kim can't hold her alcohol, even if it is just champagne," Brady teased, ignoring Jared's glares. He opened his mouth to bark at him, but Kim groaned exasperatingly before he could speak.

"Ugh! Shut up already! Alcohol and pregnant women do not go together, ok?!" Kim blurted, pushing herself off Jared's chest.

It was absolutely silent in our corner for all of ten seconds, then Jared murmured a soft 'what?' Kim played with her fingers, staring at her feet. "I was planning on telling you when the moment was right, but… well, with everything that was going on…"

Jared sat up straight and stretched his hand forward, grabbing her chin gently and forcing her to face him. "How long have you known?"

Kim was quiet for a second, then she met his eyes and whispered, "Two weeks."

Without another word, Jared wrapped her up in his arms and squeezed her to him. He peppered her face with kisses and grinned ecstatically. "We're having another baby!" He looked around the group and repeated, "We're having another baby!"

Everyone laughed and cheered, congratulating the expecting couple on their news. Sarah smirked at me and Claire. "Told ya you'd find out soon enough."

I giggled and snuggled closer to Paul. Obviously I was imagining our future. _I mean, I am a teenage girl._ I couldn't help but picture two little boys running around our own yard, laughing and tackling their dad. I could see myself holding our baby girl, rocking her on the hammock that Paul had bought me as a surprise. And of course, Paul would join us, holding our boys in his arms. And just by looking at him, I could see the love and happiness in his eyes, making them glow a brilliant brown.

_I wish I knew exactly what I had to do to get that future._ Unfortunately, I would just have to blindly walk forward and hope that nothing goes wrong. Not even a teensy, tiny detail that might slightly alter that dream.

If only I had known then that there wasn't just one small obstacle I would have to face, but something so impossibly life-changing, that it could send my future into the completely opposite direction.

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**Omg... omg... omg. I'm just wondering what the heck is going on with these guys! They're, like, so, like, _mysterious_. And who is that Richie dude? (I know I sound like an idiot!) By the way, I know it's kinda confusing, but I will _eventually_ work it all out... eventually.**

**I feel like I shouldn't say this, but I will anyway. Next chapter is the one that's _super_ important! *wink**wink* Wonder what's gonna happen O.O**

**--Mary**


	14. The Truth Hurts

**Umm... well I really have nothing to say...**

**Except that this is kind of the one you guys have been waiting for! xD Kind of... This chapter is actually a little shorter than my usual, _but_ it is extremely important!**

**Thanks to my beta, bemy4ever! Even though you think you don't do anything, you actually do!**

**Now, read!**

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**Chapter 14 – The Truth Hurts**

_Pelvis…no…metacarpals…no…fibula…dang it!_

"The polycrates?"

Mandy scrunched her nose up, flipping the worksheet over to glance at the name of that stupid bone. "Um, no… not exactly. Actually, not even close. Polycrates was a Greek ruler." She put the paper down and slid it under her anatomy book.

"Ok, seriously, what is wrong with you?" she asked accusingly.

I frowned at her and muttered, "What do you mean?"

She spread her hands beside her head and nodded at me. "Two weeks ago you were probably the happiest person alive. I don't know what the hell happened, but right now you're reminding me more of the freaking grim reaper! Your hair looks like you haven't touched it in days, you're wearing completely unflattering clothes, and you haven't _really_ talked to me in forever, not even when I dish out the juiciest secrets! And now, you can't even remember the names of the bones in our body. You were the one who made me study them for hours straight until I could practically name them in my sleep! So, what is wrong with you?"

She was right. I couldn't believe it, but she was absolutely right. I was practically a zombie. Well, more like a pissed off zombie, but a zombie nonetheless. Now that I actually thought about it, I couldn't even remember if I had eaten lunch today. But she still had no right to rant at me.

"Well?" Mandy repeated, grabbing a hold of my arm. I shrugged her off and glared at her. "What do you want me to say? 'Oh, Mandy! I'm so sorry I haven't been listening to your crap for once in my life. I'm so sorry I didn't care that you and Lance went to Seattle last Saturday. I'm sorry I haven't waited on you, hand and _freaking_ foot in two _whole_ weeks!'" I blurted, causing some of the students at the tables near us to stare at us. Without even hesitating, I snapped at all of them. "What?! Surprised that I can actually talk?" Of course, they all turned away from me, probably freaked out by my random yelling.

I turned back to Mandy. She was staring at me with disbelief written across her forehead, her arms reaching out to me slightly. "Hannah… is it Paul?" she asked quietly.

My reaction was still the same as ever when I heard his name, which I hated. I despised the fact that he could still make my heart beat speed up or that he could make my mind go blank for a couple of seconds.

"I mean, I know you told me that he hadn't called you since Thanksgiving, but I thought you were over it already. It's been almost three weeks," she whispered so only I could hear.

_As if I didn't know I was overreacting. Does she really think I'm that stupid? I know I'm being a jerk about the whole situation, but I can't stop myself._ It was sad, but true. I had always prided myself in being the kind of girl that would never change or go crazy because of a guy. Unfortunately, I _was_ going crazy over a guy. Honestly, it seemed like I was in an unreal dream. Or nightmare, depending on my mood.

I hadn't so much as received a text from Paul in over two weeks. After week one, I became desperate, completely losing all of my sense and trying to find a way to see him. Though it's embarrassing to admit, I even staked out the auto shop. Eventually, I tried to find out what happened to him through our friends. Only problem was, they all seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth too. Claire hadn't been to school since Thanksgiving. No one was coming to the auto shop. I didn't even know what to try next and I had hit rock bottom on the depression chart. Somehow, while I was trying to comfort myself, I had channeled all of the hopelessness into anger, which exploded into fury. Basically, I was mad at the world. Even Peter was terrified of me. I couldn't stop myself from insulting everyone that so much as looked at me. Or snapping at my family and friends. I had become an unstoppable personification of rage.

"Hannah, you know if you want to vent or talk, I'm here for you," Mandy said, hesitantly placing her hand on mine. She looked so concerned and sincere. But I didn't want to talk to her. She had a nearly perfect life. How could she help me? She would just repeat some crap like, 'everything's going to be ok' or 'you can move on.' I didn't need that. I needed to let my anger explode. The only person who could help me with that was the one person I didn't want to ever see again.

My mind and heart were fighting for control over my body. One was telling me to find… _him_ and scream and attack him until I didn't even have one ounce of energy left. The other was telling me to forget him and talk to Mandy. Right now, I felt like following my mind's advice.

I snatched my hand from under Mandy's, refusing to make eye contact with her. I grabbed my papers and books and shoved them into my bag. A few of the books wouldn't fit into my mess of a bag, so I held them in my arms. "You know, Mandy, everything isn't always so simple." I looked at her and practically spat the next words. "I don't need anyone, especially not some complaining, insecure bimbo with serious issues." Mandy's eyes bulged and I could swear I saw her flinch.

Standing up, I slammed my chair against the table and stomped towards the door.

"Ms. Berkeley? Where do you think you are going? Class just began ten minutes ago," Mrs. Hunt called after me. I didn't bother turning around to answer her.

"I'm leaving. Mark me absent or something." She called me again, but I interrupted her by closing the door and sprinting down the hallway. Once I was outside, I didn't really know where to go or even how I was going to get there.

"Great idea, Hannah. Now you have to walk home," I muttered to myself. I glanced up at the sky, glad to see that the clouds were covering up the sun and it looked like it would rain. I know rain isn't usually a good thing, especially since we get it so much here, but maybe it would cool me down or wash away some of my anger. With that thought, I started down the road that would eventually lead me to my house.

"Ugh, I hate La Push. Stupid friends. Stupid teachers. Stupid deserted roads. Stupid abnormally tall, hot guys." I shifted the books in my arms, trying to find a spot where they wouldn't cause sore muscles. Continuing to talk to myself like an insane person, I sped up my pace. When I looked over my shoulder only two minutes later, the school was already hidden behind the tall trees that lined the street. It was so quiet that I could actually hear the animals in the woods moving around and communicating with each other.

After awhile, I reached my street, turning onto it and moving even faster. My house was the last on the street, so I unfortunately still had a ways to go.

I was kind of in a daze when I heard some weird noise near me. I stopped in my tracks and tried to listen hard. A branch snapped in the woods beside me, not even three feet away. My body started to tremble and I couldn't make myself breathe normally. _I might be mad, but I don't want to get attacked by some ferocious beast._ As if it would make it go away, I closed my eyes and talked to myself.

"You're paranoid, Hannah. You're so messed up right now that you're actually making up these noises," I muttered breathlessly, trying to calm myself down. Then I felt it. Something touched my arm, which was covered by an oversized hoodie. I screamed and jumped away, tripping over the edge of the sidewalk onto the road. Thank goodness for the many layers of clothing I had on or I would have gotten more than a bruised back from the fall. Realizing that I hadn't even looked up to see what had touched me, I sat up quickly and scooted farther back before finally looking back at the sidewalk, although I didn't have to since it had moved beside me on the road.

"Are you ok?" I whipped my head around and froze, my eyes widening. My body wouldn't move, not even a finger or a toe. It was like the part of my brain that sent the motion signals to my muscles (the… cerebellum, right? Oh, great. _More_ anatomy), had completely shut down. When he reached out to me, I was finally able to regain control of myself.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, shoving myself away from his hand and standing up quickly. He looked at me briefly and started to pick up my books without a word. He was sitting on his heels, leaning forward slightly. His chest was shining with sweat, which I could clearly see since he wasn't wearing a shirt. I momentarily wondered how he could stand it outside with just a pair of cut-offs on. There were leaves and twigs sticking to his bare feet and in his hair, making him look like he had just run through the forest. Even after convincing myself that I would never look at him again with anything but hatred, I couldn't stop myself from admiring him. But then I made myself snap out of it and called forth all of my anger from the past two weeks.

I bent down and grabbed my bag and the remaining books on the floor. Before he could offer me the books in his hands, I snatched them away, ignoring the fire that burst on my hand after touching his. Rushing to the sidewalk, I made my way around him and continued down the street at a speed walk.

"Hannah, wait! Aren't you even going to listen to me?" he called, falling in step beside me.

"No," I answered coldly. I tried to make myself seem as emotionless as possible, but his close proximity was making it extremely difficult.

He jogged ahead of me and stepped directly in my path. Everything about him looked serious and determined, from his clenched jaw to his straight as an arrow stance. "Move, Paul," I growled.

Paul shook his head and took a step closer to me. I mirrored his movement and took a step back myself. "Not until you listen. I don't want you to be mad at me," he said.

"A little too late for that, don't you think?"

Paul sighed. Catching me completely off guard, he grabbed my books and dropped them on the ground beside us. A fraction of a second later, he stepped forward and wrapped his incredibly warm arms around me. For a moment, my mind was too jumbled up to command my body, so I soaked in his wonderful scent while I was smothered against his chiseled chest. "I've missed you so much, Hannah. Three weeks seemed like three years without seeing you," he breathed against my hair, warming my neck.

_Holy crap. What are you doing, Hannah? Get away from him._ My arms squeezed themselves between us, pushing against him with all the force I had in me. He instantly let me go, but he remained close to me. To clear my head, I took two steps away from him.

"You… you stupid jerk! Did you really think you could just come back and I'd jump into your arms crying about how happy I am that you're back?! I don't know what gave you that idea, but I am _so_ not going to just crawl back to you," I shouted, glaring at him furiously. Paul ran his hand through his hair, causing some of the debris to fall to the ground.

"I only left to protect you. And even with knowing that keeping away from you would mean that you're safe, I had to fight with myself every day to stop myself from running back to you."

Bending down to pick up my books, I scoffed and shook my head. "Oh, well when you put it that way, it doesn't sound bad at all," I said sarcastically, straightening up and stepping onto the road to get around him. Before I could take more than four steps, he was in front of me again. This time he grabbed my books and my bag before he picked me up and slung me over his shoulder.

"What are you doing?! Put me down right now! You can't do this!" I screeched while pounding on his back. Paul turned around and started walking into the woods, taking me farther and farther away from the road.

"Stop it! I hate you! Did you hear me?! I _hate_ you!" I shouted at him, flailing my legs around. Finally, when the road had disappeared far behind us, he put me down gently in front of a tree. I backed up to the tree, trying to distance myself from him as much as I could.

"Ok, I know you're mad at me-"

"Ha! That's the understatement of the year," I interrupted him loudly, pulling my legs in close to my body.

Paul frowned and took a deep breath. "You have to listen. I didn't avoid you because I wanted to. I had to. It hurt way more than I expected it would, but I can't even imagine how much worse it would have been if you had gotten dragged into this whole thing," he said quickly, as if he were to stop he wouldn't be able to finish.

I opened my mouth to yell at him again, but he cut me off. "You were in danger. That's what happens to the people we care about. They're constantly in danger because of us."

"Who's us?" I asked against my best efforts to show any interest in him.

"The pack," he answered simply.

"Is that seriously what you guys call yourselves? 'The pack?' Who do you think you are?" I spat coldly, glaring at him with every angry fiber of my being.

He stared at me for a silent moment, breathing deeply. Finally, he answered me in a low tone. "I'm a werewolf."

Silence. It was like the entire forest had shut up in awe too. Like the animals couldn't believe what he had said either. My mind was replaying his statement, thinking that maybe I had heard him wrong or my hearing was defective. But, no. I had really just heard him say he was a werewolf. A crazy person that changes into some ugly, hairy monster every full moon.

I stood up and kept myself close to the tree, watching Paul watch me carefully, as if _I_ was the crazy one. Then I saw my shoe hit him square in the chest. I looked down at my hand and realized that I had just thrown my shoe at him. Without registering it, my body had moved on its own. _Good idea._ I lifted my other leg to grab my other shoe, this time knowing exactly what I was doing.

"I can't believe you. You are such a pathetic, lying a-hole!" Flinging my last shoe at him, I continued to scream at him. "Two weeks and that's the best you could come up with?! 'I'm a werewolf?' A six-year-old could have thought of something better than that! Oh my _God_! I can't believe I actually thought that I lo-," I stopped abruptly, biting my lip to stop my rant before I said something that would hint at how much I had cared for him. "I hate you!"

Paul picked up my shoes and stepped in front of me, bending down so that he was only up to my waist. If there were any way I could just melt into the tree, believe me, I would have done it.

He gently picked up my left foot, slipping my shoe back on. He did the same with my other foot, but this time he didn't let go of my leg. "Hannah, I know it sounds like an outright lie, but I'm telling the truth. I'm not… _normal_." Springing up from the ground, he stood straight in front of me, locking his eyes on mine.

No matter how cliché or bizarre it might sound, I really thought that he was drawing me to him. I could feel myself involuntarily leaning towards him, watching the hope flit across his eyes.

And then my mind gave me a mental kick in the gut. It knocked out the urge to cling to him, to forgive him and bury myself in his arms.

"Prove it."

"What?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and gave him a nod. "If it's really true, then prove it," I repeated accusingly, furrowing my eyebrows.

Paul stayed absolutely still for half a second, then he scanned the trees around us and looked back at me. Without another word, he started to unbutton his cut-offs. "Whoa! What are you doing?!" I yelled shockingly, throwing my hands over my eyes.

"I can't just change while I'm in my clothes. They'll get ruined," he explained calmly, as if he was completely comfortable stripping down right in front of me.

I heard his jeans fall to the ground, closely followed by something else hitting the debris covered forest floor. Even though I was furious with him, I couldn't help but blush. I mean, I did still think he was the sexiest man alive after all.

After a heavy sigh from him and a brief moment of silence, I heard a sort of_ pop_ sound, along with the leaves on the ground crunching loudly. Then, there was absolute silence. Even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing. I felt a rain drop on my hands, followed by another and another. After what seemed like hours, I finally heard it. A soft whine. The kind a hurt puppy makes.

_Pshh. Even I can make that noise. _Spreading my fingers slowly, I peeked from between them, thinking that I would at worst see a fully naked Paul.

I gasped and threw my arms back around the tree, practically climbing on top of it. Standing before me was probably the biggest wolf I had ever seen. Honestly, it looked more like a huge bear than a wolf, but it clearly had all the features of a wolf. The animal had dark silver fur, almost a blue-ish color. Its head was slightly lowered and its silver ears were drooping a little to the sides, which made it look incredibly sad. I almost had the urge to reach out and pet it, just to soothe its tense body. Its blue fur was standing in every direction, giving it a disheveled look, but still making it seem as soft as a pillow. As my eyes traveled up the wolf's body, I landed on its eyes.

I did the first thing that popped into my head once I saw those chocolate eyes that had engraved themselves in my memory. _Run._ Without thinking about my books or the fact that I was in the middle of the woods, I bolted. Sure, it probably wasn't the smartest idea I had ever had (seriously, I knew perfectly well that wolves could run way faster than people), but it worked for the moment.

_Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! You were dating a werewolf! How in the world did you not know that?! _I screamed at myself as I charged through the trees, ignoring the branches that tore at my clothes and hair. The rain picked up quickly, going from sprinkling to pouring in a matter of seconds. I didn't notice at the time. All I could think about was getting as far away from Paul, or whatever that thing was, as I could. I wasn't angry anymore. I wasn't depressed anymore. I was just scared out of my mind.

Bursting out of the tree line, I stumbled onto the sidewalk and paused for a millisecond to determine which way I needed to run. Swiveling to the right, I sprinted up the sidewalk, regaining more and more of my senses with each step I took. All of a sudden, it hit my stomach with so much force, that I literally couldn't breathe. I felt like my lungs had collapsed and everything else was failing as well, like a domino effect. My legs stopped on their own accord and my knees shook so vigorously that I was surprised I was still standing. Then my stomach gurgled and I had to lunge for the trees before I promptly puked my guts into the bushes. Since I had nothing in my stomach, the action squeezed and burned my entire torso, drying out every energy preserve in my body.

Through my peripherals, I caught a glimpse of silver coming straight for me from the deeper woods. My eyes widened and forcing myself to stop gagging, I took control of my body and turned around, running for my home again.

_Why are you running? _

_Because I don't want to die. _

_He won't hurt you. _

_He's a gigantic wolf! _

_It's not like you didn't know he wasn't normal. _

_I didn't know he was this abnormal!_

I grabbed my head with my hands, trying to shut up the voices. Not only had I just seen my boyfriend (or ex, whatever) turn into a wolf, but now I was arguing with myself too. A definite equation that equaled ending up in an insane asylum.

The mailbox at the end of our driveway came into view only a short distance away. I don't think I had ever been this happy to see my house. Taking a quick glance over my shoulder, I pivoted on my heel, turning onto my driveway. I slipped in a puddle halfway across the pavement, but, as if my legs knew how important it was for me to get inside, they set themselves straight again.

Fumbling with the house keys, I bounced at the door, finally stilling my hands long enough to fit the key into the key hole. Before I slammed the door behind me and locked it, I saw Paul jogging out of the trees, fixing his cut-offs.

_What do I do? What do I do?_

Flipping around, I scrambled up the stairs, taking three at a time. As soon as I was in my room, I closed the door and locked it as well. Breathing heavily from my run down the street, I backed away from the door and bumped into my bed. Not bothering to get on the comfy mattress, I slid down to the floor, my back against the bed. My eyes refused to leave the door, expecting to see a massive silver-blue shape break through it.

I must have been completely dozed off and focused on the door, because I didn't hear any of the noise outside my window. Even when something thumped loudly on the floor. One minute I was staring at the door, and the next thing I know, I hear my name in a rough voice.

I made some kind of squeak/gasp thing and pushed against the floor to the far wall. Paul stopped at my bed, his usually messed up hair neatly plastered to his forehead. He reached out to me. I pressed myself against the wall and blurted, "Leave me alone!"

"Hannah, please. You're overreacting! You haven't even listened to the whole story," he whined, taking a step closer to me.

"I don't want to know anything! I just want you to leave me alone," I said, avoiding actually looking at his face. I could hear the pain and pleading in his voice and I was willing to bet that I couldn't resist him if I actually met his eyes.

A tense silence fell between us, making everything so much worse. The next thing he said practically ripped my heart into pieces.

"I'll leave you alone for the rest of your life if you can look me in the eyes and tell me again. And really mean it. Not just hollow words. You have to mean it. If you do, then I'll leave without another word," he muttered lowly.

With these stakes, I was left without hesitation. Right now the only thing I could think about was keeping him away from me. Lifting my head up to meet his shining brown eyes, I whispered, "I want you to leave me alone. I don't want to be anywhere near you." I was surprised by how cold and emotionless my voice sounded. Who would have known I was capable of being so cold-hearted?

Paul's whole body seemed to drop, from his broad shoulders to his raised arms. With a heavy sigh that only a man with the world on his shoulders could have, he turned around and was jumping out of my window before I had even registered he had moved.

I _should_ have felt relieved. Glad. Triumphant. Or anything that pertained to the being happy category. Instead, I felt nauseous. Then I felt like crying, which I did. I cried. Not the little tears that people have after watching a sad movie. My cry was the kind that you could never do in a pretty way. Even Heidi Klum would look like a mess if she cried like this. It was the kind of sobbing you couldn't stop either. It just went on and on and on and on…

A loud, consistent banging came from the front door. It sounded like somebody who was running away from a serial killer in one of those crazy slasher movies. _Bang, bang, bang!_

I subdued my bawling enough to actually clear my vision. My eyes felt puffy and my nose burned from the constant sniffling. The banging continued. _Oh God. Please don't let it be Paul. _

"Hannah! You idiot! What the hell is _wrong_ with you?!"

I was sprinting halfway down the stairs by the time the voice yelled again, along with another round of banging. "I don't know what your problem is, but you can't just be a jerk about it! I've never heard you so much as whisper an insult about anyone! But you just stuck a knife in your best friend's back just because she was trying to help you! What kind of person does that?! I would have never guessed you'd change into one of those-."

Mandy's glare only lasted for five seconds once I had swung the door open. She took one glance at my face (which I assumed must have looked horrible based on her reaction) and her fuming stopped. "Oh my God. What happened?" she whispered as she looked closely at my wet, puffy, and red face.

Without stopping to think, I threw myself at her, burying my face against her shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of it. I'm really sorry," I sobbed loudly into her new coat, my voice cracking so I couldn't say another word. Mandy hugged me close to her and made little shushing noises into my ear.

"Don't worry. Whatever's wrong, you can tell me," she reassured me, wiping my wet hair behind my ear.

Even though I wanted to tell her everything about Paul, something in my gut told me to keep quiet about it. But I still had to let something off my chest, or I wouldn't be able to breathe. So, I pulled back and wiped my face with my sleeve, deciding to tell her everything that wouldn't give Paul's secret away.

"I have so…so much to tell you."

* * *

**Ok, so please hold off on the threats! I've already gotten a few from my friends... :[**

**But really, I mean just think about it. How many people would have reacted like Bella when they found out the guy they had the hots for was a werewolf?! I know we all like to believe we would have been just like Bella, but... _seriously_? I'm just sayin'!**

**Anyway, this keeps things interesting! Even I'm excited about what's gonna happen next ;]**

**By the way, I just saw the _new_ New Moon trailer... *swoons* I practically died when I saw Alex Meraz... shirtless... and angry! And I am not boy crazy or anything (ok maybe a little), but was it just me, or was Alec kinda cute too? I despise the Volturi, but sometimes bad guys are gorgeous!**

**Oh yeah, REVIEW!!!**

**--Mary**


	15. Should Have Listened

**Ok, before anything else, I've got to say something... Alex Meraz is amazing! I practically shut down when I saw that 'werewolf fight' scene! I _love_ it! **

**So, I won't keep you from reading any longer than I already have. **

**P.S. Thanks for the non-hate reviews on the last chapter. I was so worried people wouldn't like it :/**

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Should Have Listened**

The first three pages of my notebook were covered in ridiculous scribbles, all from the last forty minutes of this class. I glanced at the clock again. Oh, excuse me, last forty-_two_ minutes of this class. I sighed and stared out the window again.

"Yes, Hannah? Do you know who it is?" Mr. Kurr questioned loudly. I felt my eyes widen at the sound of my name. Mr. Kurr watched me expectantly, a smug smile on his face. _What is he talking about? Oh gosh, I haven't heard a single word of his lesson. Crap. I really don't like him. Maybe I should just say any name. Something like William. That's a common name, right? There's probably a small chance that he's talking about a William. Wait, what if it's a girl? Hmm… maybe I'll go with Catherine._

Something dropped on the floor beside my chair, making a sort of metallic ring when it hit my chair. I looked down to see a mechanical pencil lying there, but it wasn't mine. Before I could reach for it, the girl sitting at the desk beside mine bent down to retrieve her pencil. She glanced at the teacher and then back at me quickly, mouthing something to me. Then she was back in her seat, innocently scribbling something down on a stack of papers.

"Hannah? Do you know who the person is or not?" the jerk of a teacher asked again. I stopped staring at the girl and turned back to him, clearing my throat before answering him.

"Uh, yeah. It's Pearl." Maybe it was just my imagination, but I could have sworn he actually looked surprised when he heard the name. "Yes, that's correct. Pearl's main purpose in the novel was to emphasize Hester's sins." When I smiled widely at him, he turned around and pointed back at the overhead screen. "So Pearl's relationship with-," he started again, but he was cut off by the sound of the lunch bell. Everyone shot out of their seats, shoving their supplies into their bags. "Don't forget the essay that's due tomorrow," Mr. Kurr called after us as we all filed out the doorway.

I caught up to the girl that sat next to me as soon as I was out the door. "Hey, uh, Erin?" The pretty Quileute girl in front of me turned around, her eyebrows slightly raised. "Oh, hey, Hannah."

"Hi," I repeated walking beside her. "I just wanted to thank you for back there. Mr. Kurr looked like he was preparing to make a speech about how clueless I was until you helped me."

Erin shrugged as her lips pulled into a small smile. "No problem. I just thought I might as well help. I mean, you have been looking kinda bummed lately and Mr. Kurr isn't exactly making it better," she said, stopping at her locker as she finished. I gulped and looked down at our shoes. _Was I that obvious? I really have to work on my poker face. _Erin must have taken my silence to mean I was angry because she stopped shoving her books into her already packed locker and turned to face me. "Listen, I didn't mean to upset you. I just remember how you seemed ecstatic just one month ago, but now you look like someone took away your dog. It's not that I'm pitying you or anything like that."

My breath practically stopped when she mentioned something about a dog, which just goes to show exactly how paranoid and crazy I've gotten. I haven't even been able to look at a black truck or puppy without holding my breath. I wasn't even sure if I was scared or hopeful. It was starting to affect my thinking so much that I couldn't even pay attention in class anymore. I had to keep my hands constantly busy or they'd shake so furiously that I wouldn't even be able to hold a pencil in my hand. If it wasn't for the fact that Mandy had forced me to get out of the house, than I would probably be locked in my closet with my iPod, my knees up to my chest and rocking back and forth like one of those crazies you always see in movies.

"Erin! Erin! Ohmygosh! You will not believe what Kris just did! I was just walking by his locker on my way to lunch and all of the sudden he just grabs me and...," the girl trailed off once Erin moved forward to grab something from the back of her locker and I was in plain sight. "Oh." She looked me up and down, her eyes squinting slightly as she saw the old jeans and thick coat I was wearing. I recognized her as one of those popular girls that's always laughing way too loud and flirting with every guy she can get her little hands on. Now that I thought about it, I couldn't even remember her name.

"Um, anyway, thanks, Erin. I'll see you around," I muttered, turning around to start back towards the cafeteria. I had only taken one step when Erin called my name again. Looking over my shoulder, I raised my eyebrows in a questioning look. "Good luck with whatever's going on," she said with a little smile. I nodded my head once and smiled back at her, walking off towards the smell of corn dogs.

As I was entering the lunchroom, Mandy found me and rushed to my side. "Hello, my little Hannah," she chimed a little too perkily, nudging me with her elbow. We both grabbed a tray for our lunch, picking things from the line as we moved up.

"Ew. You're actually going to eat the cole slaw?" Mandy whispered as I reached for it. I rolled my eyes at her and took a few steps to the register, paying for the little food I had on my tray. "Yes, I am. You should try it, too," I smiled, holding it out to her. She pretended to gag and moved ahead of me.

When we reached our table, we took our seats across from each other. Mandy stared at the cole slaw, plum, and water bottle in front of me. She raised her head to look at me, raising one eyebrow as well. "That's it?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm not that hungry," I answered nonchalantly. Honestly, I wasn't hungry at all, but I couldn't tell her that. She already worried about me enough.

Mandy sighed and picked at her chicken tenders. "I never thought I'd say this, but now you make me feel like a fatty."

"What?"

"I've never eaten more than you. You always had a crazy endless pit for a stomach and now you barely eat at all," she explained, gesturing to both of our trays. I shrugged and bit into my plum. "I guess I've lost my major appetite."

Mandy laughed as she shook her head. Before she could continue to question my new eating habits, the chair beside her slid against the ground and Lance sat down, stealing a quick kiss from Mandy. She glanced at me quickly, as if to see if I was still there. Then she punched Lance lightly on his shoulder. "I told you nothing in public," she muttered, frowning at him.

I groaned and shook my head. "Please don't act all weird around me. I'm not going to have a seizure if I see any kind of intimacy." Lance grinned at me and turned back to Mandy.

"I told you. She's a big, strong girl," Lance teased, winking at me. I laughed as Mandy's frown grew, making her look ridiculous.

Lance chuckled and faced me again. "Hey, I heard about Mr. Kurr. Did he chew your head off?" Mandy's frown turned into a look of shock as she turned her head from me to Lance and back again.

"He tried, but Erin helped me out with the answer," I replied, shrugging it off quickly. Mandy opened her mouth to say something, but before she could even get a word out, something slammed against the table beside me, causing me to jump in my seat and practically fall to the floor.

"_What_ are you doing?!" Claire's high voice scolded. She had her hands on a large Chemistry book on the table, leaning towards me as if to tower over me. It was kind of impossible for her though, since she's so petite. I realized that for the first time ever, she didn't look absolutely perfect. Her hair was in a messy (and I mean, _messy_) bun, with strands hanging in her face. She had bags under her eyes and no make-up whatsoever. It was probably the first time I had ever seen her wear a pair of sweats and a baggy hoodie.

"Eating," I answered simply once I had controlled my breathing again. "Where have you been?" I asked, watching her closely.

Claire huffed and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. "It doesn't matter. I asked _you_ a question." I looked back at Mandy and Lance, who both had surprised expressions on their faces. Mandy caught my eye and squinted, nodding her head in Claire's direction. 'I don't know,' I mouthed to her.

Suddenly, Claire grabbed my arm and pulled me out of my chair, which seemed impossible by just looking at her skinny little arms. "Claire?!" She put her finger against my lips to stop my protests, her eyebrows furrowed over her tired eyes. "We need to talk. Now." And then she was dragging me out of the lunchroom, leaving my bag behind. Mandy gave me a little wave goodbye, her eyes full of concern.

I didn't dare say a word as Claire led me through the hallways and outside onto the track behind school. She made a beeline for the bleachers, stomping up them to the top row. "What are you doing?" she asked again as she plopped down on the metal seats.

"Are you ok? You look like you're about to fall asleep or something," I said. Claire sighed and swept her hair out of her eyes with her hand. "I'm just tired. That's not what I came to talk to you about though." She turned to me and stared at me hard. "You need to talk to Paul."

I froze. My chest started to hurt from the force of my thumping heart. I briefly wondered if I would ever be able to control my heartbeat every time I heard his name. Claire shook her head and stared out at the few people out on the track. "I honestly don't know what you're feeling right now, so I can't relate, but I do know that you still care about Paul. If you didn't, you wouldn't have reacted like that," Claire mumbled quietly.

"Claire, I-I can't. I don't want to," I stammered quickly.

"Yes you can. You have to. If it's because you're scared then you should know that he won't hurt you. None of them will."

I started to shake my head before she had finished talking, scooting a little farther away from her. "No. There's no way I could trust him again. He's not… I don't know. He's just not _my _Paul anymore."

Claire whipped her head around, anger flashing in her eyes. It was the first time I had seen her look truly mad. "Why? Why isn't he your Paul anymore? He's been a werewolf since he was sixteen and he's never changed. Well, I mean _he_ hasn't changed, as in hasn't changed his personality. Unless you count him getting nicer when he met you, but other than that he's still the same guy."

No answer. How was I supposed to reply to that? It was plain and simple. I didn't want to talk to him, so what was the point in arguing with her. When Claire realized I wasn't going to say anything, her nose scrunched up. "You're being selfish."

For some reason, her statement caused anger to bubble up in my gut. "Oh, so I'm selfish because I don't want to date a werewolf? Well, I'm sorry if I actually care about my well being," I scoffed, staring at some guy throwing a football across the field in the middle of the track.

"No. You're being selfish because you aren't even thinking about how much you're hurting Paul. All you can think about is how much he might hurt you, when right now, he is in so much pain that he doesn't even know what to do with himself," Claire clarified, massaging her hands to keep them warm in the cold air.

I stared at her while she avoided looking at me. She still looked mad and frustrated, but she also had a sad tinge in her features. I was starting to feel guilty since I probably added to her frustration. "How is it hurting him? He's not the one that just found out some life changing secret about me. I mean, I get that he's upset that I won't talk to him, but it shouldn't be hurting him." _Not like it's hurting me._

Claire turned her head slightly, watching me from her peripherals. "Did you let him explain _anything_?" she asked bitterly. She actually made me feel ashamed. So ashamed that I couldn't even speak, so I just shook my head. She rubbed her eyes with her sleeve, resting her feet against the bench in front of us and leaning on her knees.

"I'm sure you've realized that every couple in the pack is madly in love, right?" I nodded my head once. She continued, "Well, there's a reason for that. It's not just your typical boy-meets-girl, boy-and-girl-fall-in-love, happily-ever-after kind of thing. Even though it sounds cheesy, it's actually more like they're two halves of one person. Like you can't live without the other. It's kind of hard to explain since I've only heard the pack talking about it, but it's like we were made just to be together." She paused and took a deep breath. "It's called imprinting. To put it simply, it's love at first sight. They just take one look at… well, they're soul mate, and they can't look away again. Quil told me that it feels like an invisible string is pulling them towards this person and then it just happens. They can't think about anything else but getting close to them and never leaving their side. Sam and Emily. Sarah and Brady. Me and Quil. It's all imprinting."

As she explained the 'imprinting' thing, my mind involuntarily brought up the memory of the first time I had met Paul. The way he had looked at me. Quil and Jacob dragging him outside against his will. His eyes never leaving me. The way he immediately volunteered to take me home. I tried to ignore the signs, but the longer it jumped around in my brain, the more it made sense.

"From the look on your face, I'm pretty sure you've figured out why I'm telling you this," Claire muttered, staring at me again. I raised my widened eyes to meet her dark brown ones, pressing my hand against my chest. "Paul imprinted with you, Hannah. That day in the auto shop, he fell in love. He fell so hard for you that he changed his attitude and tried to become a better person just so he would have a chance at being with you."

My breath quickened, making me sound like a kid having a mild asthma attack. It seemed so clear now. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized it earlier. There were so many hints and clues. Of course there was a reason for Paul's behavior. "What happens if…," I managed to choke out, but my voice cracked before I could finish, leaving Claire to guess the rest of my question. Thankfully, she was a smart kid.

"If they are apart? Well, if it's for a long time, then the imprinter will start feeling immense pain, physically and mentally. There's no way he can return to the life he had before he met this person. They're constantly fighting their instincts to find their love and stay with them. It's like someone reached into their body and ripped a hole in their heart, leaving them alone and depressed," she explained matter-of-factly. She placed her hand on my forearm, trying to get me to look at her. When I did, she gulped and spoke slowly. "That's why Paul is hurting so much right now. He didn't see you for almost three weeks and then when he did confront you again, you told him to bug off. Add another week to those three, and he basically hasn't been near you for a month."

I felt something warm streak down my cheek, followed by two more streams. I touched my face, feeling a wet trail running down my cheek. Tears. I was crying. I thought I was done crying, but clearly my tear glands had other plans. Claire reached out with her right hand, wiping a tear that was halfway down my other cheek. She stood up and wiped the rest of my tears with her hoodie's sleeve. "It's ok. You don't have to cry. You didn't know about the conditions. But that's ok. Now you can fix it."

My head whipped up to look at her, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She had a half smile on her lips as she turned away from me and looked at the far side of the track. Curious, I followed her gaze.

Before I could stop myself, my legs had sprung me off the bench and stumbled down the steps, sprinting behind and under the bleachers. They didn't even bother to stop when they charged me through cobwebs. I pressed myself against one of the columns holding the bleachers up.

"Hannah? What's wrong?" Claire called as she ducked under the bleachers. Her eyes were wide with shock, mirroring my expression.

"Claire, what did you do?" I asked breathlessly.

She frowned at me and glanced over her shoulder. "What are you talking about? You just said you wanted to fix things," she said. I shook my head furiously, pointing at her. "No, you said that! Not me! I didn't say anything. When did you call him?" I cried.

Claire shrugged and looked up at the dirty bleachers. "I called him before I met you in the cafeteria. I'm not allowed to go anywhere without one of the guys, so it was easy to get him here. I knew you would change your mind."

"But I haven't changed my mind! I feel bad and everything about the situation, but I'm still scared of him. You wouldn't let a murderer out of jail because he says he misses his mom, would you?"

Rolling her eyes and holding her hand against her forehead, Claire replied, "First off, don't even try to compare Paul to a psycho criminal. Second off, why in the world are you still scared of him?"

I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because he can still change into a gigantic wolf," I said sarcastically.

"For the fifth time, he will not hurt you! By hurting you he would cause himself pain. Besides, he's in love with you! Would you hurt him?" she said forcefully. After a bit of hesitation, I shook my head. "Exactly. He's as likely to hurt you as you are him." I didn't say anything after she finished. All I could think to do was stare at my old shoes. Claire let out an impatient sigh and took a step closer to the bleachers. "Get over here and look at him. Just take one good look at him."

Not wanting her to drag me again, I slowly walked to the edge of the bleachers and peeked out from behind them. Paul's black truck was parked beside a white van, facing the fence that lined the track. Leaning against the truck's hood, in a pair of cut-offs and a wrinkled grey shirt that looked like it had been dragged on the ground of the forest, was Paul. He had a sort of mad, yet sad, frown on his face, making his eyes look dark and shadowed. His jaw was clenched tight and his hands were balled into fists on either side of him. From the crinkle on his forehead, he seemed to be thinking hard about something. While I was watching him, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, leaving it resting against the back of his neck. He scanned the track again, his lips pressing into a hard line.

"He looks so…," I grappled with what word to use, but none came to mind.

Claire nodded her head as if she understood and stepped beside me. "I told you, he doesn't know what to do with himself. You know how he was a jerk before he met you, right?" She waited until I nodded my head to continue. "Well, he's even worse now. He barely talks to anyone, he's always cooped up in his house, and when he is around us, he just sits quietly, brooding all the time. Jared tried to force him to talk about what was wrong with him two days ago. Five seconds later, Paul was in wolf form and had Jared pinned to the ground." I looked at her in shock. She just nodded her head sadly and glanced at Paul again. "He's like a ticking bomb. I've been around the pack since I was two, but I have never felt scared of any of them until now. Quil even refuses to leave me alone with him. Everyone has to watch what they say around him, because, god forbid, if anyone mentions anything that reminds him of you, he'll snap. Now, that _is_ something you should be scared of."

The guilty feeling deep in my gut rose again. _I've caused so much trouble._

Before I could start apologizing profusely to her, Claire spoke up again. "So, I convinced Quil to let me come to school today with some bull about wanting to ask a teacher about some homework. He dropped me off and I waited until lunch to call Paul to pick me up because I was 'feeling sick.' Then I found you and took you out here, where I knew Paul would be coming to pick me up." She put both of her hands on my shoulders and forced me to face her. "I wanted to help Paul. Now that I've seen you, I want to help you too. No offense or anything, but you look like crap and I'm guessing that's because you can't stop thinking about Paul. You were in love with him too, so being apart from him must be driving you crazy."

_Yes. I'm going insane because of him. _Maybe that's why Erin helped me today. It was true after all. Even Mandy's trying to be careful around me.

"I just need to know one thing, Hannah," Claire broke into my thoughts, returning my attention to her. "Are you still in love with Paul?"

There was no doubt that I was. Why else would I still be moping around? "Yes," I said so softly that I didn't think Claire could have possibly heard me. But she did.

She smiled and shook me gently. "Then go. You know as well as I do that you want to be with him again. So go get him, tiger," she laughed softly as she pushed me gently out from under the bleachers.

_Do I really want this?_ I glanced at Paul again, scrutinizing him from head to toe. _Of course you do._ Well, that's obvious, but can I do this? Can I be normal with him? _No… but you will be happy._ I smiled to myself and memories I had with Paul all came rushing to the front of my brain, bombarding me with those familiar warm feelings. I was happy with Paul. Just because now I knew his secret, that didn't have to change. I could still be happy with him. _So what are you waiting for?_

Just like that, my fear of Paul disappeared, overshadowed by the possibility of being close to him again. I rushed out the gate that separated the track and the parking lot, making my way behind the cars. When I reached the white van, I slowed down and stumbled to the hood of the van. Paul was already looking in my direction, having heard my loud steps. He must not have realized it was me until I was beside the van's headlights.

His frown was gone instantly, replaced by wide eyes and raised eyebrows. He pushed himself off the truck and stared at me in shock, his lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something, but his voice refused to come out of his mouth. He didn't look mad, which was a good thing. It meant he still wanted me. Another good thing.

After what seemed like hours, but was probably only a minute or two, he was finally able to speak. "Hannah-," he started softly. I didn't realize just how much I had missed his voice until I heard my name. I was so ecstatic that I didn't even think before throwing myself on him, wrapping my legs around his waist and burying my head in his neck. _Oh, God. I forgot how warm he was._ Then I realized he might not be ok with this. Maybe he was still a little bitter about the fact that I had told him to leave me alone for the rest of my life. I inhaled deeply, breathing as much of his scent as I could before I tried to get off him.

Before I could slide off his chest, I felt his arms wrap around my torso, trapping me against him. I lifted my head to try and gauge his expression, but as soon as I was face to face with him, he showered my face with kisses. My forehead, nose, both cheeks, and finally my lips. His kiss was long and filled with passion, as if he thought this would be the last time he could ever kiss me. He clearly hadn't shaven in quite some time, since I could feel his scruff rub against my skin.

My memories had not done him justice. They could not convey how warm he was. How hard, yet soft he was when I hugged him. How sweet his kisses were.

When my lungs were so strained that they felt like they would burst, I separated our lips unwillingly. Paul understood that I needed to catch my breath, and judging from his heavy breathing, he had to too. Leaning my forehead against his, I gulped as much air as my lungs could hold.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you to leave me alone. I never want to be away from you for more than an hour ever again. I don't care if you aren't normal. No one's normal. I have some issues too. One of them being that I'm super clingy, so I hope you don't care that I'll practically be attached to your hip," I stammered quickly, trying to get everything out before I lost my breath again.

Paul grinned at me and tightened his hold on me. "You know you still have school. And your family. I doubt they'd be ok with you staying with me all the time. Actually, I'm pretty sure your dad would kill me if you spent the night at my house."

I laughed breathlessly. He was still a goofy moron. Even after everything that had happened he was still making jokes about this. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck, letting my fingers run through his hair. I leaned my head forward so that I was beside his ear. "I love you so much, Paul," I whispered into his ear, reaching back and kissing his scruffy cheek.

Tucking a few loose strands of my hair behind my ear, Paul put his hand under my chin and turned me to face him. "I love you too, Hannah Paige Berkeley. With all my heart," he smiled and kissed me tenderly.

And just like his adorable, goofy self, he chuckled, "Is it too corny to say that you complete me?"

Laughing softly, I shook my head. "No. Like I said, I know you're not normal." Paul rolled his eyes teasingly and placed one hand on my neck, pushing my head to his to kiss me again.

*~*~*~*~*~*

"Not that one. The one next to it."

I closed the cupboard and moved down to the next one, pointing at it before I even bothered to open it. "This one?"

Paul nodded his head and pulled out two sodas from the fridge. Opening the cupboard, I stood on my tiptoes to reach the glasses on the highest shelf, earning myself a laugh from Paul. "What?" I asked as I stood back on my heels and balanced the cups in one hand.

He shook his head and put the cans down on the countertop, reaching for the glasses. "Nothing. I just forgot that I wouldn't have to help you reach the things on the highest shelves," he shrugged. I smiled and ignored his hand, placing the glasses on the counter beside the sodas. I started to open my can and pour it into the cup, but before half of the can was empty, Paul reached around me and grabbed the drink and continued to pour it himself.

"The guest isn't supposed to do anything but sit on the couch and look pretty," he scolded, pouring the last of the soda into the cup. He reached for his drink and did the same, pushing both empty cans to a corner of the counter. I grabbed my drink and wrapped my free arm around his, taking a quick sip. Paul held his soda in his hand and led me to the living room, which was separated from the kitchen by a wall with an opening on it that overlooked the living room. Apparently, Paul liked to watch T.V. while he cooked.

Paul sat down on the couch in front of the T.V., lounging against the comfy arm. Without hesitating, I sat down on his lap, leaving my legs hanging off the couch. He turned the T.V. on and started flipping channels. "Are you sure you want to stay here tonight?"

To my surprise, he wasn't even looking at the television as he kept pressing buttons. He was watching me with eyes full of concern. "Yup. I already called Mandy to make sure she knew to tell my mom that I was over at her house if she did call. They won't even think twice about it." I paused and looked down at my drink. "Besides, my parents still think we're not together anymore," I added quietly.

"Hey," Paul said, wrapping his hand on my upper arm. "Don't get all sad and depressed about it. You had a good reason to break up with me."

I shook my head and glanced at him from my peripherals. "No I didn't. I wouldn't even give you a chance to explain yourself. I just thought about myself the entire time," I mumbled.

Paul sighed. "You reacted the way any normal person would. Don't worry about it, really. It's over and done with. You're with me now and that's all I care about." He stroked my arm with his fingers, causing goosebumps to appear, but not because of the cold.

"I guess that's ok. But I'm going to make up for it somehow," I said, taking another sip from my soda. While Paul was flipping through the channels, something that had to do with wolves popped onto the screen for about five seconds before he changed it again. I realized that I didn't really know anything about, uh… his _condition,_ except for the imprinting stuff.

Sliding off of him and moving to the other side of the couch, I pulled my knees up to my chest and nudged his outstretched leg with my foot. He turned to me and raised his eyebrows in a questioning look. "Can I ask questions?" I asked.

Paul frowned in confusion and waited a moment before answering. "About what?" I rolled my eyes and gestured to him. "The werewolf thing," I replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

He nodded his head once and shrugged. "If you want to, then sure. I mean, you don't have to act like you're interested in it or anything."

Ignoring his statement, I asked, "Is that why you're so warm?" Paul nodded his head and chuckled. "That was an interesting first question. Usually the first one is why it happens to us."

My eyes widened and I slapped my knee. "Oh, yeah. Why do you guys change into gigantic wolves?" Still laughing, Paul lowered the volume on the television and completely focused on me.

"Vampires."

It took a moment for me to realize that was his answer. My first instinct was to laugh and ask him what the real reason was. However, after remembering that werewolves do exist, I ignored that instinct and continued to ask questions. "So, I'm guessing they exist too?"

"Yes. If they didn't exist, then I'm not so sure we would have a pack right now. There's a whole story about our people's history that explains why we first changed and continued to do so, but I'm no good at telling them to people who don't already know about them. I'll tell Billy and Old Quil to come to the next bonfire so they can tell you the legends."

"Wait, but if you guys changed because of vampires, then does that mean there are some around here?" I asked, my voice starting to shake. I was just getting used to the idea that werewolves weren't those crazy killing monsters you see in movies, but vampires were an entirely different story. I couldn't stop the shudder that ran through my body at the thought that someone at school might be a bloodsucking freak.

"Not anymore. The leeches moved a few years ago," he answered quickly, avoiding my gaze.

"Oh. So I'm guessing werewolves and vampires are enemies?"

Paul nodded his head. "Most are. We protect people from the leeches that come around here. That's the whole purpose of our existence. But there are a few good ones that we sort of trust."

I harrumphed. Reaching to the floor, I placed my cup on the ground and lay back on the couch, stretching my legs beside Paul. "No more questions?" he asked as he laid his arm over my legs.

"Oh, don't worry. I still have plenty. I'm just trying to soak this in first," I smirked, wiping my hair away from my face with the back of my head. I heard Paul yawn. Lifting my head, I caught him just as he was closing his mouth, trying to cover up the yawn. "Are you tired?" I asked a little worriedly. Here I was bombarding him with questions when he was practically falling asleep.

Paul shook his head a little too quickly. I frowned at him and nudged him with my foot again. He shrugged and said, "A little. I haven't had a good night's sleep in awhile." I immediately started to feel guilty again.

Throwing my legs off the couch and standing up, I reached for his arm and pulled gently. I knew there was no way I could get him up myself, but he got the message. Leaving his drink on the floor, he stood up and intertwined our hands. We both stood there for a minute, staring at each other. Finally, I laughed and raised our joined hands. "Well? I don't know where your room is." Paul made an 'o' face and stepped ahead of me, leading me to the far right corner of the living room. A tall stand full of movies hid the stairs against the wall from view until you actually reached them. Paul climbed the stairs ahead of me, moving faster than me even though he was half asleep.

When we reached the top of the stairs, he showed me the way to his room, which was down the left hallway and the last door on the right side. He walked right in and practically fell onto the king-sized bed against the far wall. I laughed and sat down next to him, playing with his beyond messy hair. He glanced at me and suddenly his eyes widened as he lifted his head and turned to his side. "What?" I asked, confused as to why he had reacted so weirdly.

Paul looked uncomfortable as he looked from me to the bed to himself. "Uh, are you…," he cleared his throat and pointedly looked at the bed and himself again. _Oooh. Oh. _Unfortunately, my stupid blush gave away my thoughts, which only made me more embarrassed. _Get your mind out of the gutter, Hannah!_

Paul rolled off the bed, offering me his hand. "I'll show you where the other bedrooms and bathrooms are."

"No!" I said quickly, blushing furiously when Paul's eyes widened slighlty in surprise. "I mean… uh, well…" Hadn't I dreamed about falling asleep in his arms every night since the first day I'd met him? So why was I stuttering like an idiot now? He's obviously trying to be a gentleman now. I mentally kicked myself, forcing myself to stop blushing and stuttering.

"Don't forget I promised to never leave your side again. I'm staying with you," I said, smiling at him. Paul grinned back at me, leaning over me to kiss me quickly. "I was hoping you would." He turned away and walked into the bathroom across the room. I let out a deep breath and fanned myself, trying to control my over imaginative mind. I reached for the remote that was on the nightstand beside the bed, turning on the television to try and calm myself.

Paul came out of the bathroom in less than five minutes, wearing a pair of grey sweats and (ohmygosh!) no shirt. He flopped back onto the bed, staring at me intently. I was pretty sure I looked like some hungry dog as I stared at his chest, but really, could you blame me?

I was aware that Paul had said something, but I was so busy eyeing him up and down that I didn't hear a word of it. I looked up into his chocolate eyes, raising my eyebrows. He laughed and crossed his arms over his chest like a girl would. "You make me feel self-conscious," he mumbled teasingly, pulling the covers up to his shoulders. I shook my head slowly. "You shouldn't. You're freaking gorgeous," I blurted before I thought about what I actually said. Then I blushed again. Paul chuckled and slipped the remote out of my hand. "Thanks. But like I said before, you don't have any clothes to change into, do you?"

"Oh. No, I guess I don't. Whatever, I'll just sleep in this," I said. It wasn't like I had a choice. Paul looked me up and down and frowned.

"No way. It's too uncomfortable to sleep in regular clothes. Here." He stood up and walked to my side of the bed, digging in a dresser that was up against the wall. He pulled out two pieces of clothing, handing them to me and pointing me to the bathroom. I rolled my eyes and jumped off the bed, walking into the bathroom. Once I was in, I looked at what he had given me. _Okay, Hannah. Don't blush. Don't blush._ I told myself over and over again as I changed into the clothes.

I took a deep breath as I prepared to open the door, swinging it open before I decided to just sleep on the bathroom floor instead. I hurried to the bed, sitting on my side and leaning against the wall. After a few seconds, I looked at Paul. He was just as bad as I was. If I hadn't just been unabashedly staring at him, I would have yelled at him to stop looking at me. Of course, I couldn't be a hypocrite. I snapped my fingers in front of his face, trying to catch his attention. Who knew that wearing a pair of a guy's boxers and one of his old shirts could make them drool? It wasn't like I was indecent or anything. He had made sure to give me a long-sleeved shirt and the boxers almost reached my knees.

"Paul?" I whispered, though I don't think the volume of my voice would have made a difference. He finally snapped out of it and looked up at my eyes. Honestly, I think that if it weren't for the fact that he was such a gentleman with me, I wouldn't still be wearing the clothes.

He leaned forward on his forearm, catching me off guard and kissing me passionately. I was practically melting from the force of his kiss. He pushed me back gently so that I was lying down on the fluffy pillows and he was leaning over my head, stroking my bedhead hair. When he finally lifted his head, he stayed leaning over me, staring at me with a twinkle in his eyes. "You're freaking gorgeous," he whispered, a mischievous smirk pulling at his lips. I laughed breathlessly and pecked him on the lips quickly before pushing him away.

Paul turned off the T.V., so the only light in the room came from the opening between the curtains on the windows. It was still pretty early, but the sky was covered in clouds, hiding the sun and its rays. He yawned again, this time not bothering to try and keep quiet.

Before I could lose the little boldness I had in me, I rolled on my side, facing Paul. Since he was lying on his back, it was easy to scoot closer to him and lay my head on his chest. My cheek burned from the contact with his heated skin, but that was a good thing considering how cold it was outside.

Even though I knew how tired he was, and honestly, how tired I was too from the restless nights, I had to ask him one more thing. The thought of it was adding pressure to my chest, making it hard to breathe. So I had to say something. Lifting my head so that my chin was resting on his chest and I could see his face, I reached up with my free hand and rubbed his rough cheek. He opened his eyes instantly, though they were drooping dangerously low.

"Paul? Why did you leave?" I whispered lowly. Paul's eyes snapped open, making him seem as awake as a three-year-old hyped up on candy. He wrapped his left arm around me, twisting a strand of my hair with his other hand, as if stalling for time.

"I didn't leave. I just stayed away from you," he muttered, watching me apologetically. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "Remember how I had to leave you for a little while on Thanksgiving?" I nodded my head briefly. "Emily had started to worry about Sam and the others since they were supposed to be back at the house before we got there. She immediately thought something might have hurt Sam, so she asked me and Embry to go find them."

I gasped and pulled myself farther up his chest, only inches away from his face. "You guys were the wolf howls we heard, weren't you? Oh my gosh, that makes so much sense. Well, except for Sarah freaking out… unless she doesn't know about the werewolf thing yet," I breathed quickly, keeping my voice low as if there might be a chance that someone could hear us.

"Yeah. Sarah knows, but she's still a little new to the whole thing. Everyone goes through that phase when they first find out. They get paranoid and worry about us all the time. She was just scared that something had happened to Brady," he explained nonchalantly.

Ignoring the urge to start worrying myself, I said, "Ok. So, you were saying…"

Paul picked up where he had left off. "So we found them pretty fast. Sam called us to him. When we reached him, everyone else was already in a little group beside someone's house. Quil quickly filled us in to the situation. Apparently, Collin and Quil had both found a vampire trail, but it smelled weeks old and it didn't lead anywhere. There really wasn't anything we could do but go back to Sam's house. I thought we could have at least headed in the general direction of the scent, but Sam refused to do so. He said there was too much risk and the leeches might have just been passing through. He did up the patrols though."

_So that's why they were arguing. Oh how I love when everything starts to fit together._

"The next day, Brady went to go visit Sarah early in the morning. Half an hour after he had left, he called all of us to meet him at Sam's house. By the time I had gotten there, Brady was arguing with Sam. Sarah was there too since Brady didn't want to let her out of his sight. I listened to them argue for awhile and then I realized why Brady was acting so frantic. He had found another vampire trail, but this one seemed only hours old. One of the leeches had been hanging around Sarah's house, purposefully rubbing against every solid object within a ten foot distance of the house. After a lot of compromising and strategizing, Sam told us to be careful where we went from then on. He said that the vampires seemed to be following us and trying to figure out more about us, possibly planning to kill everyone we came in contact with… especially our mates."

Though some small part of my brain was wondering why in the world he had called me his 'mate,' I was much more preoccupied with him and the fact that he looked so guilty and torn as he explained everything to me. It was clear now why he didn't so much as call me. He had been trying to protect me from the bloodsuckers. The only way to do that was by either keeping me locked up in a basement at some remote location, or making sure the vampires didn't suspect he had anything to do with me. _Oh, man. I am such a jerk. _

"After two weeks of distancing myself from you, I couldn't stand the incredible pain anymore. I decided that I would just have to keep a close eye on you because there was no way I could keep myself away from you any longer," he continued without looking at me. "You know how that went… but at least then I was able to return to my original plan. Of course, it wasn't any easier the second time."

Not having any clue as to what to say, I scooted myself farther up the bed, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. Paul enveloped me in his strong arms, holding on to me as tightly as possible without suffocating me. We didn't say another word to each other. Eventually, we both dozed off, falling into the first restful sleep either of us had had in a month.

* * *

***sigh* I'm sorry if some of you wanted a longer seperation period, but I am just so darn horrible at writing angst! I really thought hard about trying to write a chapter or two during the seperate phase, but... I just couldn't :[**

**Anyway, review please!**

**--Mary**


	16. Best Birthday Ever

**Chapter 16 – Best. Birthday. Ever. **

There was nothing except tall green grass around me, serving as a cloak from the outside world. At first, I thought I was alone with nothing but the happily chirping birds in the trees that surrounded the field. And then I heard a sigh that blew warm air against the back of my neck. Due to the fact that I was lying on my stomach with my head resting against my folded arms, I only had a view of the grass on my right side. I had no clue what was on my other side.

Before I could even bother to lift my head so that I could investigate the source of the sigh, the ground began to shake vigorously. Panic shot through me like millions of knives as everything started to blur and I was quivering along with the grass and trees. I squeezed my eyes shut tight, hoping that maybe I was imagining the trees shaking.

"Hannah!" The voice cut through the air sharply, stirring my body. My eyes snapped open and for some odd reason, I was staring at my closet door. "Hannah! Wake up! Wake up!" I shot up from under the covers, my heart beating erratically in my chest. I steadied myself against the shaking mattress and looked up, only to see a girl jumping on my bed and another shaking the bed from the side. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I realized I was in my room and I was not about to die in an earthquake. But these two girls might die if they didn't cut it out soon enough.

"You dummies. I was sleeping. Go away," I moaned as I fell back on my pillows and covered my head with the blankets.

I heard a pair of scoffs and the shaking stopped for a moment. "Hello! Were you planning on sleeping all day?!" a high-pitched voice asked. Suddenly, the blankets slipped out of my hands and off my body, falling somewhere on the floor. I groaned and sat up again, glaring at Claire and Mandy.

"You guys might be morning people, but you should know that I am _so_ not! Especially not on Christmas break!" I said, exasperated by the fact that they had woken me up in such a rough manner. They both shared a look, their lips turning up into wide smiles. Without any warning, they threw themselves on me, squishing me between them. "Happy birthday! Happy birthday! Happy birthday!" they shouted over and over while rocking me between them. _Oh yeah. I can't believe I almost forgot. I'm eighteen today. _

"Ok, ok! I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to choke someone to death on their birthday!" I laughed, trying to slip out from their Hannah sandwich.

They leaned away from me, giving me room to breathe. Mandy ducked down beside my bed and rose with a wad of clothes in her hands. She threw them onto my lap and pointed to the hallway. "Hurry up and change. You have to look great on your special day," she commanded, lifting her chin up daringly. I knew better than to try and question her, so I went along and left them in my room.

After I had finished brushing my teeth and washing the last of the sleepiness from my face, I tugged off my night clothes and changed into the outfit Mandy had given me. I brushed my hair quickly, not bothering to do anything with it since one of them would be sure to do it for me. It wasn't like I really had a choice with those two. It was either obey or… well, I didn't even want to think of the consequences. Just in case they weren't planning on messing with my hair though, I pulled back the waves that covered the sides of my face with a clip and left the strands on the bottom half of my head alone. That way, I had a messy version of the usual 'do.

When I walked out of the bathroom, I could see that neither of them was in my room anymore. Deciding against going back to bed, I headed down the stairs.

"Oooh. Nice work, Mandy. Serious kudos," Claire giggled from the living room. She was leaning against the wall beside the television, her arms crossed in front of her chest. She pointedly eyed me up and down, wiggling her eyebrows teasingly at me. There was no doubt that she had gotten some sleep this week. She looked so much better now. Her fashion sense was back, along with the perfectly executed hairdo. From my spot at the bottom of the stairs, I couldn't even see the barely there black rings under her eyes. I hadn't asked why she had looked so disheveled that first day she was back at school and I didn't see any reason to ask her now since she looked fine.

"Duh. When have I ever picked a bad outfit?" Mandy scoffed from the couch, waving her hand at Claire dismissively. She grinned at me and stood from the couch. "Ready to go? Oh, your shoes are by the door." She pointed to a new pair of boots mere feet from me. I looked down at my clothes. She had picked out an apple red sweater dress that reached just above my knees and dipped down in a V neckline. The sleeves protected my arms from the cold up to my elbows. I'm sure if it weren't so cold outside, she would have left me with just that. However, it was actually starting to snow lightly outside, so she had to add a pair of metallic silver jeggings that were surprisingly really warm.

"Mandy… this isn't my clothes," I said, stating the obvious. Of course it wasn't mine. Or maybe it was, but I hadn't seen it in the back of my closet with all the other clothes Mandy had forced me to buy on our outings.

Mandy laughed, standing up and stepping around the couch to stand in front of me. "I told you, you need to look great today. Claire and I went out to buy you something new and exciting to wear," she shrugged, holding out a cute fitted leather jacket with several zippered pockets on the sleeves and front area.

I scanned all the new clothes again and frowned at Mandy. Before I could open my mouth to say anything, she held her index finger up in front of my face, waving it from side to side. "Don't even think about complaining. Just think of it as a birthday present from me and Claire. Now, we have to get moving," she chirped, raising the jacket up to my shoulders.

_Well, I guess it's ok since it's my birthday. _Trying to keep my frown in place, I grabbed the jacket and squirmed into it. I refused to sigh in contempt when I felt the warm material that would surely keep me from freezing. Claire and Mandy giggled and high fived each other.

After I pulled my boots on, we all went outside and got into Lance's SUV (apparently, Mandy had begged him to let her use it today… obviously, Lance could never say no to Mandy). While I was looking though my purse to make sure I had my wallet with me, I felt something cover my eyes. Before I had a chance to protest, it was tied behind my head, leaving me in darkness.

"Guys, what's with the blindfold?" I asked, feeling the cloth over my eyes with my fingertips.

"It's a surprise!" Claire chimed excitedly as I felt the car begin to move. After a moment of adjusting myself to the darkness, I sighed and leaned back in my seat. If this was their idea of fun, then I didn't really want to think about what else they had planned.

We fell into easy conversation, chatting about anything that came to mind. Mandy asked what my parents had done with me yesterday (they assumed I wanted to spend today with my friends, so they celebrated my birthday with me yesterday) and Claire commented about the mess in my room. Anyway, after we had exhausted our small talk, they started on another, _much more _awkward topic.

"Oh, that reminds me. You never gave me the details, Hannah," Mandy sang in a teasing tone. I frowned in confusion, but then I realized they couldn't see that so I said, "What?"

Mandy giggled. "Don't play innocent with me. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I gave you a few days to bask in your happiness, but now you need to dish."

_What is she talking about? I've never kept anything from her. _I racked my brain for anything I was keeping secret from her, but, in the end, it was futile. Finally giving up, I turned towards her and bit my lip. "I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about. I really don't."

I heard Mandy scoff loudly. "Come on, Hannah. You know I've been dying to know since you called me from Paul's house that day. It's unhealthy to keep these things to yourself," she pleaded. I could imagine the pout on her lips, even though she knew I wouldn't be able to see it.

With Claire's next statement, I finally realized what Mandy wanted to know. "Ooh-la-la. Hannah's already having _sleepovers_ with Paul? I guess even Hannah has game," she giggled teasingly.

More than half of the blood in my body exploded onto my cheeks, burning them with an unseen fire. It felt like my skin should be melting or something by now. There was no doubt this was the most intense blush I had felt in years. It was actually starting to get a little painful.

"Aha! I knew it! Ohmygosh! You guys totally did, didn't you?" Mandy squealed while she slammed what I assumed was her hand against the steering wheel.

"N-no! You guys are crazy! How could you even a-ask me that?!" I yelled, though it came out more like a squeak. It didn't help that I kept remembering the urge I had to jump on Paul when we went to bed that day. _Oh my God! I'm turning into one of those hormonal college girls!_

"So you're telling me that you kept your hands off him the _whole_ night?" Mandy asked incredulously. I didn't know whether to be proud or offended by the tone of her voice.

"That's exactly what I'm saying! You of all people should know that I'm not that kind of person," I sputtered, throwing back my head against the headrest. I heard Mandy's fingers begin tapping against the steering wheel in a slow rhythm while I waited for someone to change the subject. After what felt like an hour, she muttered, "Damn, girl. I give you props for holding out." I didn't really want to think about it, but Mandy was making it sound as if… well, as if she _hadn't _held out. I mean, I'm not so naïve that I think no one in high school is having sex, but… Mandy? I always thought we were on the same page with that. And Lance didn't seem like the type to pressure. I made a quick mental note to ask her about it when we had a moment alone and tried to change the subject.

"Are we there yet? Or am I going to have to sit through more of your torture?" I sighed playfully, hoping to completely forget about the last five minutes.

"Actually, we are," Claire said, readjusting my blindfold, which I finally figured out was a scarf. The car stopped and I heard the engine cut off. Two doors opened and I instinctively reached for mine. Of course, I had to feel around with my fingers before I could find the door handle. There was no need though, since seconds later, my door opened.

"Don't you dare move the scarf," Mandy growled while helping me out of the car.

"I don't see what's the big deal. I mean, it's not like I haven't seen everything in La Push yet, and Forks and Port Angeles aren't very new either." I could hear both of them giggling softly, as if they were trying to hide it from me. I couldn't even imagine what had them so giddy.

Mandy (or Claire?) led me up a few steps and then I heard a door click open. When I stepped inside the building, it was quiet for all of two seconds before a cacophony of voices shouted. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

I stumbled back and let out a little shriek before someone caught me and held me up while everyone started laughing and talking loudly. Not caring if Mandy or Claire would get mad at me, I ripped the blindfold off my eyes and blinked a few times to get a clear image of my surroundings. I rolled my eyes and grinned widely, returning everyone's hugs. "I can't believe you guys threw a surprise birthday party! I haven't had one since I was nine!" I called over the music to Mandy and Claire, who were still behind me.

Claire shrugged and winked at me. "What's a birthday without a surprise or two?"

As everyone assaulted me with embraces, I noticed that they were all from school. Actually, there were even people I didn't really know at all. It looked like Mandy and Claire had just texted everyone about the party, even the too-cool-for-you crowd. Needless to say, it was kind of awkward hugging people who I couldn't even remember their names. The only thing I could think of to say was 'thanks for coming.'

When the last senior had let me go and run off into the crowd of dancers, I frowned and turned around to Mandy and Claire, but neither was behind me. Before I could look around for them, three girls that I recognized from my gym class ran up to me and jumped up and down while squealing. I stared at them as if they had just proclaimed themselves dragons.

"Ohmygod, H! You never told us you hooked yourself a _fiiiine_ piece of manmeat! God, I am so jealous," one of them cooed. She put her hand over her forehead and pretended to swoon while the other two fanned her.

The blonde one, Jenna, looked up from her friend to me and raised one of her eyebrows slyly. "Yeah, H. You could have at least introduced us to him or something! He's, like, one of those guys you see on America's Sexiest Male Models or something!"

I was pretty sure I looked as confused as I felt because the third girl, Maggie (I think?), said, "We're talking about your boyfriend, of course! I can't even remember what he said his name was because I was too busy drooling over him! _Oh,_ and I practically fainted when I felt his arm! Not only is he hot looks wise, but he's hot temperature wise too!"

Now, I'm not usually a jealous girl, especially not when it concerns Paul because he's just so darn good-looking that a girl can't help but stare at him. But, if someone were to just come up to me and shamelessly blurt out that they were flirting with him and touching him… now that's a different story.

I tried to sound as much like them as possible when I spoke. "Yeah, I know! He's, like, so hot! I was, like, totally thinking about sharing him with other girls because he's just too much for me! I mean, I'm sure no one would care that he's _my_ boyfriend, so they'd be ok with it. Actually, do you know where he is? I want to tell him about my idea. I'm thinking we could make some big bucks from this."

Mission accomplished. Maggie blushed and murmured a 'no' before she hustled away from me, followed by her two loyal friends. I felt kind of bad for talking to her like that, but then again, she got what she deserved. Those girls were known for their, er, _extracurricular activities._

_Where is Paul?_ Just by looking around the living room, I could tell I was at Mandy's house. Which was a good thing. I knew my way around her house as well as I knew my own. As I made my way through the throngs of teenagers, I scanned the sidelines for any sign of Paul. Surely, he would be looking for me too.

I had just stepped into the hallway leading to the bedrooms when I heard someone yell my name. By the time I turned around, Lance was right beside me, giving me a quick hug before wishing me a happy birthday.

"Oh, thanks." I paused as he bumped fists like a twelve-year-old with one of his football buddies. "Um, have you seen Paul? Someone said he was here, but...," I trailed off, shrugging my shoulders for an added effect.

"He was here, but he left before you got here. He said he had to go finish something and he would just catch you later," Lance said. I knew I wasn't a master at hiding my disappointment, but I didn't think it was so obvious that Lance would worry about me. "If it makes you feel any better, he was bragging to everyone about being your boyfriend," he said hesitantly, a small smile on his lips.

I laughed and shook my head. "So I've heard."

Lance chuckled and, in a blur of movement, grabbed my wrist, leading me down the hall. When we reached Mandy's room, he knocked once and walked in without waiting for an answer. Mandy and Claire were both giggling into a phone while sitting on a corner of her bed. Claire glanced at the door as if she didn't really care who had just come in, but as soon as she saw me her eyes went wide and she nudged Mandy a little too roughly. "Ow! What the hell is wrong with you? How do you expect me to help him if-." Before she could finish Claire laughed loudly and interrupted her.

"I see you're trying to hide from the fans, _Hannah_," she said forcefully, staring at Mandy the entire time.

Faster than I thought Mandy could ever move, she tapped a button on her phone and ran for her closet, slamming the door behind her. _Very subtle. Wonder what's she's planning to do to me._ _Oh God, please no makeovers._

"Oops. She's gonna be pissed at me now," Lance mumbled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. Claire hopped off the bed and wrapped her arm through mine, turning us around. Before we disappeared out the door, she looked over her shoulder and smiled mischievously at Lance. "I hope you're prepared to grovel." Lance sighed and started walking towards the closet as Claire dragged me back out to the hallway.

Cascada started to play loudly, eliciting squeals from all the girls. "I love this song!" Claire screeched, falling into a run towards the living room, which had turned into the 'dance' room.

No matter how curious I was about Mandy's weird reaction, I couldn't help but jump along with everyone else. I mean, I wasn't too fond of dancing, but nobody could resist Cascada. At some point during the song, Erin, Claire, and two other girls I kind of knew made a little group in the middle of the crowd. We belted out the words to the song, shaking wildly.

"What hurts the most, was being so close, and having so much to say, and watching you walk awaaaay," Erin and one of the other girls sang together.

"Never knowing what could have been, and not seeing that loving you is what I was trying to doooo!" Claire and I paused, knowing that neither of us could do the next vocals. To my surprise, the quiet girl that was also part of our group sang next. She actually sounded pretty darn good.

Claire kept me busy for about half an hour dancing and singing to the songs that played. Mandy joined us then, urging us to get even more into the movements. She forced me to wiggle my hips like one of those girls at the clubs that thinks she's the hottest thing on the dance floor. I had to keep apologizing to the people she made me bump into, even if they didn't notice because they were having such a good time.

The party pretty much continued the same way. Dance, drink, rest, dance, drink, rest, shoo some weird boy away, dance some more. It was your typical teenage party, including the sneaked beer keg (which I took no part of).

I didn't know what time it was when Erin and one of her friends finally left, but I knew I was exhausted. I walked into the empty kitchen and started to wipe off the counter, which consisted of spilled beer and smushed snacks.

"Ah! No! Get away from there before Mandy sees you," Lance gasped frantically, pulling the wet rag from my hand and pushing me a few steps back.

"Hey! What's your problem?" I grumbled. When I tried to step forward, he held his arms out between me and the counter, stopping me in my tracks.

He shook his head quickly, his blonde hair moving out of his eyes. "If Mandy catches you cleaning up on your birthday, she'll hurt you and then kill me for not stopping you." For some reason, his expression made me laugh. He looked so worried, as if he thought Mandy was a skilled ninja or something. While I was laughing, he turned me around and nudged me towards the entryway.

"Hannah! There you are! Let's go!" A small squeak that escaped my mouth stopped my laugher as I stumbled away from the voice. When Claire started to giggle at me, I frowned at her.

"Ha ha ha," I muttered sarcastically. Claire shook her head slowly and pulled the scarf from her coat's pocket.

"What? Again? Isn't one surprise enough?" I asked incredulously, taking a step away from her.

"We never said this was it. Stop being stubborn and come on. We're gonna be late," Mandy said as she walked into the hallway from the living room and continued on to the kitchen. I heard her talking to Lance, but I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Suddenly, I felt the scarf wrap around my eyes again. "That's not fair. You attacked me," I said, adjusting the blindfold so that it was more comfortable. "It's not my fault you weren't paying attention," Claire shrugged beside me, which I could only tell because my arm moved with hers. She led me out the door and, carefully, to the car. Mandy must have followed us out because I heard the clicking of the lock and then I was in my seat.

As soon as we were moving on the road, I blurted, "Where's Paul?" I heard one of them snort.

"There's just no keeping your mind off him, is there?" Mandy laughed.

"Don't tell me you're thinking about him when we're having an awesome time," Claire scoffed, tapping the side of my head.

"It's nothing like that. I'm just scared of what you're going to do to me next. Besides, I know he'll protect me from anything too crazy you guys want to do. And don't tell me you guys wouldn't be thinking about seeing your boyfriends on your birthday," I said matter of factly. Claire made a dramatic humphing noise, pushing away from my seat.

"Well, anyway, it's not like we know where he is. Why would we know?" Mandy said. I shrugged and sighed. I couldn't help it. I just really wanted to see him. I mean, I had just seen him three days ago on Christmas, but then again, that was _three days ago._

I played with the bracelet on my left wrist as Mandy and Claire talked about how unhappy they would be if they didn't see their boyfriends on their birthday. The coolness of the gold only added to the numbness of my fingers, but I still loved to touch it. It was my Christmas gift from Paul. And man, was it beautiful. Either Paul had an amazing eye for jewelry or he had some help from an accessory obsessed girl. My fingers traced the emeralds encrusted in the gold bracelet, feeling the smooth cut of the stones. There were tiny diamonds surrounding each stone in a circle, adding even more beauty to the bracelet. The edges of the gold had intricate raised designs on them. I could feel the spot under the bracelet where my name was engraved, and under my name, in smaller letters, something else was engraved. _Property of P.N.A. _Maybe I should have been mad that he referred to me as his property, but every time I felt those words, I smiled. It was kind of cute how he basically marked me as his.

Since I was so focused on my wrist and hadn't paid attention to anything else, I was surprised when someone started to pull me out of the car. When I started resisting, Claire's voice scolded me. "Move your butt, Hannah!" she whispered forcefully. I allowed her to help me out of the car. I felt Mandy in front of me and grabbed onto the back of her thick jacket as Claire held on to my upper arm. With their help, I made it safely up some steps and through a doorway.

Without any warning, something tiny, and I mean smaller than Claire tiny, crashed into me and caused me to fall back against the door and slide to the floor. Whatever it was had fallen on top of my legs and was rolling off me now. "Oh no! I'm sowwy, Hannah!" a little voice wailed. I felt for my blindfold and pulled it over my head, blinking rapidly to adjust my eyes.

Sophie stood in front of me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. She was watching me and her small lips were quivering as if she were trying to stop herself from sobbing. I quickly sat up and hugged her, before she could start to cry. "Don't worry, Sophie. I'm ok and I'm not mad at you," I reassured her, patting the back of her head. She pulled back to wipe at her eyes, smiling slightly.

"I wanted to say happy bathday," she mumbled. I bit my cheek to keep myself from laughing at her pronunciation, but when she looked at me with a completely serious look on her face, I had to laugh. After she realized I wasn't hurt, she started to giggle and hugged me again.

When Sophie finally let me go and we walked into the living room, I was, once again, met with a barrage of hugs. It began with Sarah and then Kim followed and the rest joined within seconds of the last. April, Emily, Leah. Once they had finished squeezing the heck out of me, the guys took it easier on me. They each walked up to me and gave me little hugs, not even half as tight as the girls had. Even Talon and Tristan hugged me at the same time. I looked around the room with a huge grin on my face. And just like before, I was disappointed to see that Paul was nowhere to be seen.

No one gave me any time to sulk. Kim and Sarah immediately pulled me over to a cluster of couches, sitting me down on a recliner while they sat on the loveseat beside me. Claire and Mandy sat down across from me and everyone started to talk at once. There was music playing softly behind me, but it wasn't crazy dance music. After twenty minutes of catching up with Kim and Sarah, Sophie skipped over to me and handed me a card made out of coloring paper.

"What's this?" I asked her as I stared at the blank side. She smiled and flipped it over for me. 'Happy Birthday' was scribbled in sloppy handwriting, along with a basic picture of a cake and a stick person with curly maroon hair. I opened the card and there was a picture of a ton of stick people surrounding another cake, with the curly maroon haired one closest to the cake. She was holding a balloon in one hand and a little stick figure's hand in the other, while sporting a triangular birthday hat. The huddle of stick figures behind her were smiling and holding boxes with ribbons on them. Behind the curly haired girl, there was a super tall figure holding on to her nonexistent waist. Sophie had written everyone's name at the bottom of the picture, pointing arrows from the names to the person. _I _was the maroon girl.

"Aw, thanks, Sophie. It's very pretty. I think I'm going to hang this up in my room," I smiled at her. She bounced twice and clapped her hands. "You like it!" she giggled. "Talon helped me spell," she proclaimed, raising her head proudly. I laughed and placed the card on my lap. She sat on the floor beside my legs and I automatically began playing with her hair.

"Don't be surprised if I call you up to babysit for me," Kim said. I looked at her, only to find her staring at me with one raised eyebrow.

"Why?" I asked.

"You're good with kids. And Paul is too. He could exhaust them by playing with them outside and you could keep them busy inside the house. It's perfect," she stated, looking at Sarah for confirmation. Sarah pretended to think for a minute, then she nodded her head and shrugged.

"Well, you can't trust me with kids. I like them and all, but I freak when they cry," she said nonchalantly.

I heard the door open in the foyer, but I thought it was just someone going outside to get something from their car, so I didn't pay attention to it. Twisting a section of Sophie's hair into a little bun, I looked down at her and asked her where the drinks were. She pointed me to the kitchen, which was across the hallway that merged with the foyer. After thanking her, I got up and headed for the hallway.

"Where are you going?" Claire questioned as I walked past her couch.

"I'm thirsty. I've been talking and shouting so much that my throat's completely dry. And no, you can't get it for me. I'll get it myself," I added as she started to get up. She huffed and sank against the couch again.

When I looked up again, my jaw practically broke from the intensity of my grin. I jogged the short distance to the hallway, crushing myself against Paul. We were hidden from half of the living room because he was still in the foyer, but I honestly wouldn't have care if my parents were watching, much less just a couple of our friends.

"I like this sort of welcome. Maybe I should come late more often," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around my waist. I punched his side half-heartedly, lifting my head from his chest. He smiled down at me, bending slightly to kiss me quickly. "Happy birthday," he whispered against my lips. I sighed and kissed him again, taking my time to feel him.

I pulled away once I had my fill of him, grinning like an idiot. Then I realized that he was late. I frowned and used my best acting skills to look disgruntled. Pushing his chest away with my arms, I took two steps away from him, placing my hands on my hips. "Why are you late to my birthday party?" I asked suspiciously. I had to admit, I was pretty good at this.

Paul broke eye contact with me and ran his hand through his hair. "Uh, I… well, my… I got lost?" he said, more like a question than an actual answer. My cheek started to bleed because I was biting it so hard, subduing the laughter that threatened to burst from my mouth.

I continued to stare at him with suspicion. My foot started to tap after a minute of silence. When he started to look immensely guilty and fidget from nervousness, I moved forward and grabbed his hands. "Jeez. You look like a three-year-old that got caught with their hand in the cookie jar," I breathed, trying to get him to look at me again.

He sighed with so much relief that I started to feel guilty. "I'm sorry. I was just kidding," I muttered, intertwining our fingers. With some weird movement of his arms, Paul pulled me close to him until I was pressed against his chest and his mouth was right beside my ear. I shuddered when his warm breath blew down my neck.

"Don't apologize. I'm just a nervous wreck right now," he whispered. My eyes grew wide and I pulled back to look at him. The first thing that immediately ran through my mind was… _vampires. _He had already explained to me that they hadn't found the one that had marked Sarah's house, but the pack kept finding its scent everywhere. It was in the woods, at the lake, on the streets. Apparently, everyone was freaked that the leech would… well, would _take out_ one of us imprintees. Those of us who didn't live with our parents were now staying at their imprinter's house, but those who still had overprotective parents, which was only me really, just had to be extra careful. Claire even told me that Quil was staying at Sam and Emily's house just to be close to her. Basically, we couldn't be by ourselves one second of the day. I felt horrible about this, since I was the only one that couldn't stay with my werewolf. The pack already had so much stress piled on top of them, and I was just adding more to Paul's load. _Ugh! I hate those stupid bloodsuckers! _

I was so lost in my thoughts that I had completely forgotten that Paul was standing right in front of me. His fingers slid out of my hands and his arm wrapped around my shoulders. "Hey, don't worry about me. Today's your day, so just enjoy yourself," he said. I tore my eyes from the wall behind him and looked at him. He frowned slightly and bent lower so we were face to face.

"Hannah, promise me you won't let anything ruin your birthday. I don't care if I have problems. As long as you don't start to take them on as your own. Please, have a good time today. Please?" he begged, watching me with eyes full of absolute concern.

So, with as much conviction as I could, I shook my head and leaned against him. Plastering a grin on my face, I stood on my tiptoes to reach him and pecked his lips. "What are you talking about? I've been having a good time for hours now," I shrugged, rolling my eyes at him teasingly. If this would help him feel better, then I was all for it.

Paul smiled and pressed me closer to him. He started to lead me to the living room, but I told him I needed a drink first. I ducked under his arm and jogged to the kitchen, looking inside a red cooler for a drink. I stared at the beer, wondering if it really was worth the buzz. After thinking about it for a moment, I shut the cooler and moved down to the next one, grabbing a bottled water.

I met Paul in the entryway of the kitchen again and we walked into the living room hand in hand. We sat in the same recliner I had occupied earlier, except I was sitting on his lap this time. At some point everyone sat down on a couch or chair. There were so many that I wondered if maybe Sam and Emily had done it on purpose for occasions such as this.

It had been about an hour since Paul had arrived and we were all huddled around Kim because she thought she had felt the baby kick. I was trying to remember if babies could even kick when they were only four months in the womb when I heard the door open again. I saw Mandy turn her head and grin at the doorway. It had to be Lance.

But then she turned to me and her smile grew tenfold. Why would she think that I cared if Lance showed up or not? He was a good friend and all, but I had just spent hours with him at her party. And then I saw the curly brown hair poke around the hallway wall.

I jumped up from Paul's lap and ran around the occupied pack surrounding Kim's couch to the hallway. Before I was even close to him, he opened his arms for me, preparing for me to slam into him, which is exactly what I did. I flung myself at him, jumping in place from the utter excitement I felt.

"Oh my God, Richie! I didn't even know you were in Washington! I missed you so much!" I squealed. It felt weird hugging someone who was only an inch or two taller than me after hugging Paul so much, but I didn't bother to think about it for longer than a second.

I felt his arms close around my shoulders as he guffawed. "Man, I forgot how overly excited you could get."

"Excuse me, but I haven't seen you in half a year, ok. I have an excuse for being crazy," I defended myself, pulling back to punch him in the shoulder. He pretended to grimace and rubbed his shoulder. I couldn't help but laugh. "I guess you're still a wimp though," I added, raising one eyebrow at him.

Richard pointed a finger at me, flipping my hair with his other hand. "Hey, don't even go there. And what happened to your hair? It doesn't look like your hair at all, Frizz." He looked down at my clothes and then back up at my face again. "Actually, you look pretty hot… what happened?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. "Are you trying to say I used to be ugly? That's not nice at all. And it's kind of ironic coming from you, _metal mouth_," I retorted, smirking at him.

He laughed once and smiled, showing his now perfect teeth. "I got rid of the braces in tenth grade, thank you very much. But you never looked like this before. Is this some kind of prank or something?" he asked, looking me up and down again.

"Will you stop checking me out? God, it's like watching some old perv stare at a girl's butt. For your information, I've changed since I moved here. Mandy bought me a whole new wardrobe _and_ my hair's not even a little frizzy anymore, so you can stop calling me Frizz," I said, running my hand through his curls. "And what about your hair? You've never let it grow out this much. If I remember correctly, you said it made you look like a Jewish hobo."

He pushed my hand away like a two-year-old with a tantrum and fixed his hair. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but then he looked behind me and frowned. Before I could turn around to find what had stopped him, I felt a warm hand envelop my own. Paul leaned close to me, almost standing in front of me. I couldn't see his face because he was slightly turned away, but even his body language showed that he was not happy at all.

His hand reached out in between Richard and himself. "Hey, I'm Paul," he muttered, waiting for Richard to shake his hand. Richie did and muttered, "Richie." It was like both of them had completely forgotten I was even there. They just stared at each other as if they were sizing up their opponent in a battle. The vibes they were throwing off were starting to make me angry.

I slipped my hand out of Paul's tight hold, turning him to face me. His jaw was clenched tight and his lips were pressed into a hard line, clearly sending the message that he was furious. I frowned at him. "Let's go sit down," I said in a tone that left no room for arguing. He watched me for a moment and then turned away to walk back to our recliner. I sighed and turned to Richie, who was watching Paul walk away. Not even bothering to warn him, I grabbed his wrist and led him to an empty chair beside my recliner. "What is it with guys always trying to pick a fight?" I mumbled.

Richie shrugged and followed me without resisting. "I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't do anything," he said. I rolled my eyes, though I knew he couldn't see me. Paul was already sitting on our recliner, his hands digging into the fabric of the armrests. When I reached the chair, I forced Richie to sit down on it as I moved one of Paul's hands to sit on the armrest between them. It was better to be safe than sorry.

Paul immediately placed one of his arms around my back, resting his hand beside my thigh. I looked over my shoulder at him and shook my head slightly at his expression. 'Be nice,' I mouthed to him as he continued to sneak glares at Richard.

"Hey, Richard. Long time no see," Mandy giggled from across the living room. Everyone had sat back in their own couches again, letting Kim relax after being rubbed by all the girls. Richard turned to face Mandy and grinned as if nothing had happened.

"What's up, Mandy? Thanks for giving me directions from the airport," he said, shooting her a quick wink.

Claire piped up from beside Mandy. "Hey, I helped too. Oh, I'm Claire by the way."

"Oh, you were the hyper one on the phone, weren't you? I should have known. The little ones always have excess energy," he smirked, nodding his head in acknowledgement. Claire giggled and dusted off her shoulder as if she were proud of his statement.

"So _you're_ Hannah's Richard. When you didn't show up at the beginning of the party, I just assumed you wouldn't be able to make it," Emily mused, adding a sweet smile to her words.

Richard shrugged sheepishly and faced me again. "Sorry, I kind of got lost. This place is way different than California." I grinned at him and reached over to flick the side of his head with my finger. "Duh. Haven't I told you that about a billion times?"

Then it struck me that I had never told Emily about Richard. But, she had just called him by name as if she knew who he was. "Wait… how do you two know each other?" I asked, waving my index finger between Emily and Richie.

Emily answered before Richard could. "Oh, he doesn't know any of us, except Mandy of course. We only know who he is because Mandy asked if she could bring him here," she chimed. I started to turn to Mandy, who must have already known what I was going to ask because she blurted out, "Surprise! I thought it'd be a nice present for you."

I scrunched my nose up as I tried to make sense of this all. Richard chuckled beside me as I tried to piece everything together. "Oh, he was the one you guys were talking to on the phone, wasn't he? That's why you ran into your closet when I came in. So you guys planned this!" I proclaimed triumphantly, pointing my finger at Mandy and Claire while I stuck my tongue out at them. Then I turned to Richard and eyed him with a bit of disgust. "Couldn't you have put a bow on him or made him look nice?" I mocked, turning slightly away from him.

"How old are you again?" Richie asked disbelievingly, watching me with one raised eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes and said, "I'm only three years younger than you, so don't act so high and mighty, mister." Richard laughed loudly, along with everyone else. Except Paul of course. He refused to so much as crack a smile when I looked at him. _I guess I'll just have to get used to his weird jealousy. _

For the next hour or two, Richard and I answered everyone's questions about our childhood. We would keep laughing together as we reminisced, retelling all the stupid and crazy things we'd done. I couldn't help but get a little frustrated with Paul though. Every time Richard would so much as lean closer to me, Paul would tense up and wrap his arm around me tighter. It wasn't much different if I was the one to lean over, except when I did it, he would try to pull me closer to him again. I couldn't really tell if Richard noticed at all, but, by the way he kept glaring at Paul when he thought no one was looking, it seemed to me like he wasn't liking the whole protective thing Paul was doing.

Soon though, Richie had to leave. Apparently, he still had to check into a hotel since he had come straight here from the airport. Without giving Paul a chance to restrain me, I jumped up and walked him to his car.

We reached the rental car and he messed with the key as he stood by the driver's side. After what felt like a few minutes of silence, he finally looked up at me and I saw nothing but concern and suspicion in his eyes. "If that guy isn't your boyfriend, then I'm going back in there to kill him," he blurted suddenly. My eyes narrowed from the shock of his outburst, and the absurdity of it.

"Of course he's my boyfriend," was all I could think of to say. Richie's green-speckled brown eyes didn't seem to lose any of the suspicion.

"Is he always like that? So controlling of you? He's not one of those obsessive kinds of stalker boyfriends, is he?" he ran through the questions at an incredible speed, his voice getting lower with each word.

"Richie! What is wrong with you? You know I wouldn't be with someone who was controlling me. How many times have we made fun of those wives that take all the beating from their husbands and never leave them?" I defended, feeling like I had to stand up for Paul.

He stared at me for a moment and then looked down at his keys again. He looked like he was struggling over what to say next. "I'm just making sure," he mumbled. "Do you really like him?"

"Yes. Actually, I love him." Richie lifted his head, his eyes wide with disbelief. I shrugged and continued. "He's just so… perfect. He's sweet and romantic and he puts my well being before his own in any and every situation. I know he gets a little overprotective sometimes, but that just adds to his charm, you know? I mean, it just makes me feel like he'd be devastated if anything were to happen to me."

Richard's frown lasted for all of two seconds before his trademark grin covered his face. "So… little Hannah finally found real love. It's about dang time. Now I'm not the only one looking out for you," he joked, reaching out to pull me in for a hug. "As long as he makes you happy, I don't care if he doesn't like me."

I scoffed. "I told you, he doesn't know what you are to me. I'll just have to tell him that you're my big brother. Well, not technically, but whatever," I mused, stepping back to get a good look at Richie again. "Before I forget, I have to ask you one last question."

He took another step away from me, his expression full of playful nervousness. "Shoot," he said quietly, as if he didn't want me to hear him. I rolled my eyes and closed the distance between us, patting the snowflakes from his hair with my hands. "What's with the new hairstyle?"

"Oh, that's it? Uh, Casey likes it longer," he sighed, peering at my hands from under his lashes. I gasped dramatically and pulled away from him.

"And who is this _Casey?_" I asked hurtfully, pretending to sniffle.

He blushed slightly, which was definitely an abnormality for him. His foot started to dig into the dirt. He mumbled something, but I couldn't catch it. "Speak up!" I commanded. Richie sighed loudly and crossed his arms over his chest. "She's my girlfriend, ok?"

My hand shot up to cover my mouth, muffling the giggles that threatened to escape. "_Oooh_. I gotta give this girl my thanks for convincing you to grow out your super cute curls. Should I be insulted that in seventeen years, I could never convince you to do it, but she did it in, what? Five months?" I teased him, tilting my head to the side.

Richard waved me away with his hand and opened his car door, sending a little flurry of snow falling to the ground. "I'll see you tomorrow," he mumbled, getting into the car.

"Aww, you're not even going to tell me about her?" I cooed as he shut his door. Before he pulled out of the front yard, he stuck his tongue out at me and made some weird signal with his hands. I laughed as his car disappeared down the snowy dirt lane, hidden behind the thick forest.

By the time I came back into the house, Paul was already standing by the foyer, talking to someone I couldn't see in the kitchen. When I closed the door behind me, he immediately stopped talking midsentence and turned to me, his mouth slightly open.

I saw Jared poke his head out the entryway to the kitchen, looking for what had caused Paul to stop. His mouth formed into an 'o' and he headed back for the living room. Before he disappeared into the room, he turned to Paul and said, "Remember what I said."

I was a little scared to pull my attention away from the spot where Jared had been, not wanting to see Paul's furious face. Like the coward I am, I continued to blankly stare at the wall, keeping my mouth shut tight.

Paul's arm came into view before I actually realized he was in front of me, standing only inches away. I finally forced myself to look at his face, prepared to see what I thought would be plain rage. But he surprised me. He didn't look angry at all. Just apologetic. The corners of his mouth were turned down slightly and his eyes were scrunched up because of his furrowed brows.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, watching me hopefully. I honestly hadn't expected him to get over his jealous fit this quickly, but he must have had some kind of epiphany or something that made him realize there was nothing to worry about and he was just being an idiot.

Some might say I forgave too easily, but then again, who wouldn't when they were being attacked by those adorable puppy eyes. "It's ok," I smiled. "Just don't do it again." His features seemed to have been hit by a tsunami of joy. He snaked his arms around me and curled me into his embrace. I felt so warm and safe against him that I whimpered when he pulled away after a while. Paul laughed and swept his left arm under my legs and carried me outside. I didn't even care that I hadn't said goodbye to anyone.

Once I was in the passenger's side of his truck and he was situated on his side, he reached into his jacket's (which I had no idea why he was wearing) pocket for something. Before I could even try and guess what it was, he pulled out that wretched scarf and dangled it in front of my face.

"Oh, come on! Not you too! What is with everyone today? Can't I see in peace?" I groaned, leaning my head back against the seat. Paul chuckled and waved his finger in a come-hither gesture. Though I wasn't happy about it, I still moved closer to him. The scarf was tied around my eyes for the third time today. It was starting to feel like a normal accessory now.

The engine roared to life and the truck started moving down the dirt path away from Emily and Sam's house. I was happy enough staying quiet, snuggled into Paul's side, but he clearly wanted to keep a conversation up. It kind of seemed like he was still nervous about something, but I decided to just go along with it and keep him talking.

"How was the party at Mandy's?" he asked distractedly.

I shrugged my right shoulder, counting that as my response. But then I remembered what Lance had told me. Sitting up slightly so that I wasn't completely leaning on him, I faced his general direction. "By the way, why did you leave before I got there?"

"Sam and Emily needed me to help organize everything at their house," he answered quickly, as if he had practiced the response. "Besides, I only came because Mandy wanted me to help set everything up. I was only there long enough for a few of your friends to meet me and then I had to leave."

I groaned and reached up for his hand on my shoulder, pulling it from around my shoulders and laying his arm on my lap. Covering his hand with both of mine, I hugged his arm close to me. Yeah, so I was being possessive. Who cares? "I know. A couple of the stupid girls were trying to tell me how _hot_ and _awesome_ you were. As if I didn't already know that. They acted like I didn't even know who you were and you were just another single guy they could chase after," I growled, playing with his fingers.

Paul chuckled lowly, as if he were trying to hide it from me, which was kind of impossible since I could feel him shaking. "I was hoping they wouldn't be dumb enough to tell you about their flirtatious attempts. It was really just embarrassing. I mean, talk about desperate. Anyway, after the first handful of them, I started introducing myself as your gay friend, Jacob."

I snorted into a laughing fit, releasing his hand to cover my mouth with my hands. "So you're who Erin was talking about! She told me there was this weird gay imposter dude at the party before I got there. She kept trying to find him in the crowd, but I never saw him. And why Jacob? You better hope he doesn't find out that you used his name," I gasped once I had controlled my laughter enough to actually speak.

"It was the first name that popped into my head that could actually pass for a gay name. I figured Raphael wouldn't work," he chuckled, moving his hand to my knee. That sent me into another few minutes of consistent giggles. By the time I had refreshed my lungs with air, Paul was stopping the car and turning it off. At first, he didn't open his door or move, so I thought I had to help myself out. But, when I started scooting down the seat to the door on my side, he reached out and grasped my upper arm, pulling me back to him.

"What? Aren't we getting out?" I asked, completely and totally confused.

"Yeah, but first you need to put these on," he explained. I waited for a moment and then raised my hands.

"Well? I can't exactly see what you have." Paul muttered a quick apology and untied the scarf from my eyes. He instantly held out a hat and scarf for me, both designed with different shades of gray swirls. Before he could try to put them on me himself, I grabbed them from his hands and wrapped the scarf around my neck and tugged the hat on over my hair.

"Much better. I think you should be warm enough now," he smiled, sweeping my bangs out of my eyes with his hand. I grinned back at him and leaned over to kiss his scruffy cheek. "Thanks for the presents."

"Oh, they're not… uh, never mind," he mumbled, gesturing for me to slide to my side. He was already at the passenger side opening the door for me by the time I had reached for the handle. Not giving me a chance to get myself down, Paul grabbed me around my waist and set me down beside him lightly, as if I was a girl Claire's size instead of a 5'8" girl with heavy layers of clothing on.

I realized that I hadn't even looked at where we were yet then, so I turned away from the truck and searched our surroundings. We were parked at the edge of the forest line that was closest to the mountains. The snow was starting to fall heavily, blurring my vision of what was in the distance. It was pretty in the cover of snow, but I still didn't understand why we were here.

Before I could question Paul, he was wrapping his arm around my shoulders and protecting me from the snow by tucking me against his side. He didn't even give me a chance to get comfortable before he started walking us into the forest. I just barely fixed my hat and moved my left arm around his back when he started talking again.

"Hey, did you realize we're now legal," he said quickly, rubbing the side of my arm as if by instinct. He didn't seem to really be paying attention to me since he was concentrated on the path before us. I saw him pat his jacket's pocket with his free hand, making sure the bulge was still there. My mind briefly wondered what it could be, but I was more occupied with trying to answer him and not trip in the snow at the same time.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously, not really getting what he was referring to.

He ducked his head under a low hanging branch, following a slightly steep path up the side of the mountain. "It's illegal for a minor to be with someone eighteen years or older. Clearly a thirty-one year-old man and a seventeen year-old girl is very illegal. We're law breakers."

It took me a moment to register what he had just said. Once I realized what he was talking about, my eyes widened and I slowed down, looking up at him. "You're _thirty-one?_"

Paul stopped so suddenly that I almost kept walking without him. He gazed down at me with a blank expression. "Who told you that?"

_Is he going crazy? What the hell is going on?_ "You just did. You said we were illegal until today because you're thirty-one. I thought you were twenty-three?" I didn't bother to mention that that would have still made us illegal.

Paul sighed as he looked away from me up the path. His free hand felt his pocket again. "Please don't get mad. I'm really sorry I lied to you, but it wasn't exactly something I could tell you without making you think I was some old creep," he whined, refusing to even look at my face.

_Oh Lord. Thirteen years. Does that make me a cougar? No wait, cougars are old ladies going for younger guys. So… am I a kitten? I don't wanna be a kitten. Hey, I'm like Katie Holmes. How far apart are Tom and Katie? Oh my God! What're my parents going to say? I'm dating an old guy. Well, not really, but old for someone my age. Then again, Paul could sure pass as someone in their mid-twenties. Oh boy. I should be mad about this. I really should be. But instead I'm just trying to figure out how to tell my parents. Plus, that's another lie he told me. I need to get mad. Ugh, my head's starting to hurt. _

While my head continued to flip through the different thoughts like pages in a book, I grabbed the sides of my temples with my hands, trying to calm the pounding of the imminent headache. Surprisingly, the snow that was being blown at my face was making me feel better, cooling my heated skin. Everything that was jumping around in my head was not helping at all. Actually, it was starting to get annoying. I felt like someone with ADD. So, I did the only thing I could think of that would erase my mind. I didn't even bother saying anything. My legs worked on instinct, pushing me forward until I was leaning heavily against Paul. I didn't move my hands from my head. There was no way I was going to risk a full-blown headache. I just buried my head in his jacket, squeezing my eyes shut as I waited for the effect.

"Hannah? What's wrong?" Paul's voice seemed to boom in my ears, though it should have been quiet compared to the snowy wind. I hesitantly lifted one of my hands off my head, holding up my index finger to Paul. I knew he would get the message, just like he always did. I just needed a little longer for the remainder of my thoughts to vanish.

Paul just stood there, eventually wrapping his arms around me. It felt so nice that even after I was feeling normal again I didn't move for another minute. But, unfortunately, it was starting to get dark out, so I suspected that the sun was pretty close to setting behind the dark clouds in the sky. I sighed and pulled back, shaking my head slightly.

"Sorry. My head hurt," I explained briefly, fixing my hat again. Paul was staring at me with a mixture of amusement and worry.

I shrugged and smiled reassuringly. "For some reason, my brain just went into overdrive trying to figure out how to tell my parents that I'm dating an old man." Paul seemed shocked by my statement. His mouth gaped while his eyes stared at me hard, as if he expected this was all just a ruse.

"So… you're telling me that you're not freaked?" he said slowly and deliberately. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest.

"No. Well, I am about telling my parents."

Paul's features slowly regained their composure, morphing into a broad smile. He exhaled deeply. "How did I get so lucky?" Before he let me answer, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and led us up the path again.

"If you're talking about me, then it wasn't really luck. Besides, it doesn't really seem like a big deal compared to the werewolf thing. I mean, I can't really imagine how _this_ is freakier than the fact that you can explode into a giant wolf." I paused and smiled wickedly, deciding to tease him a bit. "I guess I'm ok with you being old. At least you're not thirty-two."

I felt him laughing before the sound hit my ears. "I am not old. Besides, I'm not really thirty-one. I'm still a sixteen-year-old in a twenty-something-year-old's body. I don't age. So technically, you're older than me."

I huffed and scrunched my nose up. I would surely question him on this later, but right now all I could think about was my status. "Aw man. So I _am_ a cougar. That's just great," I mumbled sarcastically, wondering how I could have gone from a kitten to a cougar in ten minutes. Paul laughed heartily and ruffled the top of my head. "Hey!" I squeaked as I tried to move the hat out of my eyes.

"Oh, and you're parents already know," he added after he was finished laughing at me. I opened my mouth to answer, but then I felt myself being lifted off the ground. A cracked squeal escaped my mouth as I clung to Paul. Just as quickly, I was back on my feet and Paul was walking us forward as if he hadn't just picked me up. When he saw me staring at him, he shrugged and gestured over his shoulder. "There was a fallen tree trunk. I didn't want you to try to climb over it."

Shaking my head slightly, I laughed breathlessly and nuzzled closer to him. We hadn't even been quiet for five minutes before he suddenly stepped in front of me and blocked me. His eyes shone with a nervous glint while he fidgeted in front of me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught his hand resting in his pocket, flipping the bulge over and over.

"Close your eyes." My eyes instantly shut, following his order.

"What? No blindfold?" I laughed lightly.

"I trust you," he said simply, stepping behind me and placing his hands on both of my shoulders. He pushed me forward gently, warning me when I had to make a big step over a rock or tree root. After a number of steps, he finally stopped me.

"Ok. Open your eyes," he whispered beside my ear. At first, I opened my eyes into tiny slits, peeking out from under my lashes. But what I saw out of that tiny opening made my eyes slam open, taking in the sight before me.

I couldn't figure out how he had gotten me up here without me realizing how far up we had come up the mountain. We were standing on a little outcropping that would have been impossible to find if you didn't know it was here. The trees were spread out enough to leave a small clearing behind the edge of the outcropping. Below us were trees as far as I could see, a blanket of snow lying over their canopies. There was a large opening in the trees to our right, which I knew was the lake, though I couldn't see it from here. Even farther to our right, the mountains climbed into the sky in a cluster, partly covered in snow and the rest in dense trees. In the distance, I could make out the rays of the setting sun behind the clouds, as if it were trying to break through the dreadful clouds. Even hidden behind the clouds, it still lit up the sky in a light gray and made the snow shine brilliantly. It reminded me of a winter wonderland. The only thing missing was Santa Claus flying through the sky on his reindeer sleigh.

"It's beautiful," I breathed, looking over every little detail of the landscape. "This is amazing. The best birthday present ever. How did you even find this place?" I asked, raising my hand to my shoulder. Paul's hand wasn't there. That's when I realized he wasn't standing behind me anymore. I turned quickly, still smiling from the absolute beauty before us. It took me a moment to realize he was on the ground. My smile faded slowly.

"P-paul?" I whispered so softly that I didn't think he could hear me. He gulped and exhaled shakily. Shifting his weight to the knee that was on the ground, he leaned his arm against his raised knee and fumbled with his hands, which were covering something.

"Han-," his voice cracked before he could finish my name. He cleared his throat and shook himself. When he looked back at me, his eyes were filled with determination and pure love. "I know we've only known each other for a couple of months, but that's more than enough time for me. I want to make sure that everyone knows that you are mine forever. That is, if you want to be. I want to know that every day that I come home, whether in the middle of the night after a patrol or in the afternoon after a project, that you'll be there. I want to take you out on surprise dates after a long week of work. I want to take you to ridiculously gory movies just to see you get so excited that you can't stop talking. I want to set up a hammock in our back yard where we can sleep together on lazy days. I want to, eventually, grow old with you and have a couple little Paul's and Hannah's."

Even though my eyes were blurred from the tears in my eyes, I could just make out his hands opening to reveal a small velvet box. He lifted the cover of the box and raised it between us. I furiously wiped at my eyes, trying to clear my vision enough to actually see what was inside the box. I gasped when I saw the slender gold band buried in the padding of the box. The band seemed to connect at the top as two swirls, sort of like yin and yang. On one swirl there was a perfectly cut diamond, while on the other there was an equally perfect emerald.

"I've been prepared to do this for weeks. I asked your parents for their permission three days ago, on Christmas. Your mother couldn't really say anything because she was crying so much." _So that's why Mom's eyes were red after I came back from the bathroom._ "And, although I thought he wouldn't be too happy about this, your father answered for both of them. Surprisingly, all he said was 'it was gonna happen sooner or later, but I have to admit that I'm glad it's you.' Of course, then he reminded me that he was the proud owner of a gun, just in case I was to hurt you." He paused as a small smile pulled his lips at the memory. "But, I don't plan on hurting you. I plan on spoiling you with love for the rest of your life. So, Hannah Paige Berkeley… will you marry me?"

The last word was barely out of his mouth when I flung myself at him, sending both of us falling into the snow. He gasped in surprise and quickly moved me on top of him, off the snow. Then I started kissing every inch of his face, ending at his lips. I moved my hands to either side of his face, pushing him against me. Our lips moved feverishly against each other, soaking in the glory of our passion.

Before long, Paul started laughing, which kind of messed up my plans to kiss him until I fainted. I lifted my head and glared down at him, trying to send a telepathic message to him informing him to shut up. He must have noticed my expression because he toned down his laughter and pushed himself off the ground, moving me so that I was sitting across his lap. "I'm sorry. I was just wondering if I should take that as a yes," he grinned, lifting his hand to show the ring box he had kept a hold on.

My glare quickly disappeared as I looked at the box and then back at Paul. I smiled and rolled my eyes. "No, dummy. I just threw myself at you to distract you so that I could run away," I muttered sarcastically. He chuckled and leaned closer to whisper in my ear.

"I want to hear you say it," he breathed, kissing me behind my ear.

"Yes, Paul, I will marry you. I will gladly be Mrs. Paul Antilla."

Paul leaned back, a beaming smile spread across his face. He opened the ring box again and pulled out the perfect ring. He held his right hand in front of me, waiting for me to give him my left hand, which I did. He slid the ring on my fourth finger, holding my hand in front of him. He wrapped his hand around it and squeezed gently, locking his brown eyes with my gray ones.

"I love you, Hannah. Always have. Always will."

I mirrored his small smile, leaning forward to lose myself in his embrace. "I love you too." I giggled softly and hugged him tighter. "How can I not after you risked facing my dad's gun?"

He chuckled once and shrugged. "How does that saying go again? The greatest rewards come from taking risks?"

I shrugged. "I'll just be a good fiancé and say you're right."

* * *

**Oh man... that was intense. I felt so stupid while I was writing this chapter because I would start and five minutes later I would just stare at my computer screen trying to slow my mind down :[ Honestly, I had no idea I was going to do this until it happened. The characters completely took over. But I liked where they took it, so I love it. On the list of my favorite chapters, this one is definately up there. What'd you guys think?**

***clears throat* Little sidenote here... I finally saw New Moon! And yeah, I know they didn't exactly follow the book and everything, but I am just so glad that it's better than Twilight. There was just so much more interesting things going on in this movie and the graphic were way _way_ better! Not to mention the gazillion new hot guys! I cannot decide between Kellan Lutz, Alex Meraz, and Taylor Lautner! Actually, Jasper was pretty cute in this one too! And the action was amazing! I was hooked during the fight scenes (although I think the wolves scared the crap out of me once or twice xp). **

**Ok, then. Back to the story. I've already started the next chapter and once again, the characters took over. They're kind of fighting in my head, ya know? Paul wants this, Hannah wants that... even Mandy's forcing herself in there too. But, I really like where it's going. It makes it so much better! :D**

**Review, please!**

**--Mary**


	17. In The Dark

**Chapter 17 – In The Dark **

It was still cloudy and mushy outside. I couldn't believe how gloomy it was, almost like the trees had never seen the sun before. It seemed impossible that the snow that was now melting and blending with the dirt to make a disgusting mud was the same that had looked so beautiful as it fell a few weeks ago.

I opened my fist to release the curtain from my grip, letting it fall to cover the dreary image. _Maybe I should stop looking outside. It's starting to make me depressed._ Then again, I had a reason to keep looking. Paul was supposed to be back soon and he always came from the backyard. It was probably a little crazy of me to just sit by the window and wait, but I just couldn't concentrate on anything else. The television was on, showing the latest news, but I just had it on for the noise really. Nothing that the anchors and reporters were saying was actually being processed by my brain. My half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich was left on the coffee table in front of the sofa, a mug of barely sipped hot chocolate beside it. That's right, _I_, Hannah "Hunger" Berkeley, did not have the appetite to finish a measly sandwich.

It took me a moment to realize that my phone was blaring from the kitchen, sounding as annoyed as the caller probably would. Or maybe that was just my imagination. Sweeping my hair out of my face, I hurried to the kitchen, grabbing my phone from the edge of the counter and flipping it open. "Hello?"

"Jeez, woman! What took you so long to answer? I thought you were ignoring me for a minute there. You waited until the third time I called to answer! You better have a good…," Mandy left her sentence unfinished, nothing but silence coming from her side of the line.

"Mandy?" I called curiously. It wasn't like her to stop mid-rant.

It was quiet for all of ten seconds, and then Mandy whispered secretively, "Did I interrupt something? I am _so_ sorry, Hannah." Something about the way she had sounded made me giggle, even though I could feel heat rising to my cheeks.

"Paul's not even here, Mands. And I've told you about a billion times that-."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You guys aren't doing it yet. Well, I thought since you didn't answer your phone and you sound kind of tired that maybe today was the day. Guess I was wrong, though," Mandy explained nonchalantly. I could imagine her shrugging indifferently.

"Was that your reason for calling?" It wouldn't have really surprised me if she said yes.

I heard the creak of her bed as she either sat down on it or stood up from it. "Believe it or not, it wasn't. Have you seen the news?"

I shook my head and then realized she wouldn't know that I had. "I have it on, but I haven't really been paying attention," I admitted, sounding guilty for some reason.

Mandy's groan echoed from the phone. "Well, check it out. I'm freaking out, dude." Curious as to what could have Mandy so worked up, I made my way to the living room, standing in front of the T.V. instead of sitting on the couch. A reporter was speaking rapidly into a microphone she held in her hand. She kept looking over her shoulder, where paramedics were scurrying around in a narrow alley. Though it was dark from the overcast sky, I could just barely make out a white lump on the ground that seemed to be the center of the attention, judging from the policemen taking pictures of it from different angles.

I turned around and reached over the coffee table to grab the remote off the couch. As I tapped the volume button incessantly, the woman's voice began to make more sense.

_"… police are warning the public not to panic, even though this is the third person to be found dead this week. They are investigating and assure us that they have several leads. To repeat this breaking news, another mauled body has been found in the Port Angeles area. This victim was a female, as were the first two. All three females were in their twenties, but other than these two facts, there seems to be no pattern in the killer's choices. The first victim was found in Seattle off a back road on Thursday. The second was found yesterday in the forest near the city line of Port Angeles. And this latest victim was found early this morning in the heart of Port Angeles, between two shops. All of the corpses have similar lacerations along their neck and shoulders, though doctors are baffled as to how these shallow cuts could drain every victim of almost every drop of blood. Though police say there is no reason to worry, they have issued precautions to every young woman in Port Angeles and the surrounding cities, including Forks and Seattle. We'll have more on this story at eleven o'clock. Wishing you a safe weekend, this is Trish Night…"_

My finger instinctively pressed the mute button, stopping the reporter's cheerful goodbye.

"Isn't it scary? They keep getting closer to us, Hannah," Mandy rushed, breathing into the phone. When I didn't answer immediately, Mandy called my name several times. I shook myself from my thoughts and forced myself to act nonchalant.

"You're too paranoid, Mandy. What would the… killer want with two eighteen-year-old girls? It's been killing girls in their twenties," I said, flipping through my suspicions as Mandy sputtered on the other end. Just the description of their deaths had planted a seed of fear in me. I was being such a hypocrite calling Mandy paranoid. I didn't even know how leeches killed their prey, but I was quick to blame the entire thing on them. _There's no way. They only give people one bite in the movies. And anyway, I don't think they'd be stupid enough to just leave the bodies lying around. And if it really were them, bodies would have started showing up weeks ago. It's clearly __**not**__ them._

Surprisingly, I had reassured myself. After all, I did give some valid points. With that relieving thought, I refocused on Mandy's rambling.

"… and don't even get me started on how easy it would be for someone to hide in the stupid forest and grab anyone who walked by! This place is so deserted! If they could do it in Seattle, then they could do it easily here! Ohmygod!" She groaned and fell silent for a moment.

"Are you done?" I asked teasingly. She clearly didn't appreciate my sense of humor and huffed. I waited until she had calmed down again to speak. "Sorry, I just don't worry about these kinds of things anymore." _How could I when now I had to deal with werewolves and bloodsuckers._

Mandy replied in a tone closer to her normal voice. "Well, I guess I'm worrying enough for the two of us. Are you home alone?"

"Yeah. I just told you that Paul wasn't home yet," I replied in a slow voice, as if I were trying to explain this to a six-year-old.

A sharp, loud sound came from the phone, causing me to pull it away from my ear quickly. I moved the phone to my other ear, holding it a few inches away. Even from that distance, I could hear Mandy's loud voice. "Are you crazy?! You can't be home alone now! Go to your house then!"

Before I could blurt out anything stupid, I stopped myself and thought of the best way possible to quell her anxiety. "Calm down, Mandy. He's gonna be home soon and then I won't be alone. Besides, you know I'm not allowed to stay here overnight so I have to spend as much time with him as I can before my curfew." I paused, hoping the detail would be too tempting for her to pass.

Once again, I was right. "Oh yeah. I forgot you weren't living with him yet. Man, that sucks. It's kinda sad that even though you guys are engaged, your parents still won't let you stay with him," she mused, back to her usual nosy self.

She was right too. It more than sucked. Saying that it sucked was a serious understatement. I mean, I'm eighteen and engaged, but my parents were still acting like the overprotective people they were. When Paul proposed to me, I just assumed I would move in with him because that's usually what happens in these situations. But, no. My parents decided to keep me under their roof for awhile longer. According to my father, "you are still our daughter and a high school student. Until graduation, you'll stay with us. I don't mind if you stay at his house when you're _not_ sleeping, but don't forget that you still have your education." Honestly, he was just putting off the inevitable. Whatever. As long as I could stay here whenever I wasn't busy (or sleeping), then I was just going to humor him until graduation.

I sighed as I plopped down on the couch, pulling my knees up to my chest. "You're telling me. And he works a lot, so he's not always here."

Mandy was quiet for a minute. Then she gasped dramatically into the phone. "Oooh. Why don't I go visit you now? I'll keep you company until Paul gets there. Oh snap! We can have a _Resident Evil_ movie marathon. I have all three!" Even though I knew she was just offering because she was still a little worried about me being alone, it did seem like an appealing idea. Then I wouldn't look like a lost puppy while I waited for Paul to come home.

"You know what? That's the best idea you've had in years," I stated, a wide smile spreading my lips.

"Excuse me? _That's_ the best idea I've ever had? I don't think so. I've had plenty of genius plans, but you don't always like them," she scoffed, shuffling around in her room. I could hear her sifting through the clothes in her closet. "It's too bad Richard went back to California last week. It would be even more fun with him scaring the crap out of us every time some suspenseful music came on. You know, I really hate it when he does it to me, but it's hilarious when you practically jump out of your seat."

"Oh, how nice of you. I just love how you're so amused by my cowardly ways. And your reactions are way worse than mine. At least I don't scream," I retorted, unwilling to pass down the challenge.

"What? I do not! I might squeak or something, but I've _never_ screamed. I think you're going coo coo for cocoa puffs, Hannah."

Out of nowhere, a light thud sounded from upstairs. I looked up and pulled the phone away from my ear, trying to listen for another sound. Another thump came from above me. I knew Mandy was probably still talking into the phone, thinking that I was listening quietly. So, I pressed the phone to my cheek and said, "Hey, Mandy. Can you hang on a minute? I heard something on the second floor."

"Oh… is it Paul?" she asked, disappointment seeping into her words.

"I'm not sure," I answered honestly. It was weird that he had went straight upstairs instead of coming through the back door. He knew I was here and I never cared if he was dirty or wet after patrolling as long as he was with me.

Mandy said a quick ok and I moved the phone to my shoulder, muffling it against Paul's jacket. I walked to the bottom of the stairs, peeking up the steps. "Paul?" No answer. _Maybe he's trying to pick on me or something._ At this thought, my eyebrows furrowed and my lips sagged into a frown. I didn't want to play games. I just wanted him.

Padding up the steps, I landed lightly in the hallway and turned towards his bedroom. The door was halfway open, revealing a corner of the bed. I heard the clack of something dropping against his dresser.

I huffed and jogged to the door. "That is not funny, Paul. It's not nice to sneak up on someone, especially when she's home alone waiting for you." I nudged the door open with my shoulder and took a big step inside the room. Then I felt something hard hit me on the side of my head. I briefly felt myself crash to the floor before my world went black.

*~*~*~*

_Damn… what is up with my head?_

Talking to myself in my head wasn't exactly helping the major throbbing practically jiggling my brain with each pulse. This was officially the worst migraine I had ever experienced. Actually, it felt more like the concussion I had gotten in fifth grade after falling out of a tree. Except worse. Much worse.

I inhaled deeply, which was a huge mistake. Not only did it smell like sweaty socks and mold, but it also sent a sharp stab into the side of my head, causing me to whimper.

"Hannah? Are you awake? Oh my God, please tell me you're ok," a voice echoed lightly into my ears, as if spoken in a whisper. I rolled off my right side onto my back, groaning at the hard lumps under me. It was extremely uncomfortable lying on my back, so I rolled further onto my left side, relieved that it seemed a little softer like this.

It took me a minute or two to realize that there was a muffled laughing coming from right in front of me. I slowly opened my eyes, squinting slightly against the protests my mind was yelling about the light.

Someone sat in front of me, their head lowered onto the edge of my bed, covered by their hands. Their shoulders shook from their laughter, which was starting to sound a little sloppy. My mind was running so slow, that I hadn't even recognized the red hair until an entire minute later.

"Sarah?" I asked, surprising myself by how groggy and dry my voice sounded. I pressed my right arm over my head, pressuring the throbbing to stop.

Sarah kept her face covered even after she had lifted her head, her shoulders starting to quiver. She finally moved her hands off her face, wiping the stream of tears that ran down her dirty face, leaving lines of pale skin against the dirt. It registered in my brain that she was actually crying, not laughing.

Ignoring my own extreme pain for a moment, I reached my hand out to her, swiping my thumb across her forehead. I looked at my thumb and noticed the dirt on it. "Why are you crying? And so dirty?" Sarah just stared at me with watery eyes for a moment, then she was leaning over and hugging me tightly, crying into my shoulder. It was weird seeing Sarah like this. I actually considered for a moment that this might just be a messed-up dream.

After letting Sarah cry for a good three minutes, I couldn't stand the sniffling in my ear any longer. It was just adding to the massive headache I had. So, as gently as I could, I reached to the back of my neck and forced her hands off me. I tried really hard to push her off without making her cry even more or igniting the fury of my headache, but I think I ended up just kind of shrugging her off instead. Sarah finally cleared her vision enough to see my barely controlled grimaces. She moved back to the edge of my bed and wiped incessantly at her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I should have known you would be hurt. Why else would you have been out for two days," she sniffled, surprising me by actually speaking in coherent sentences.

Now that some of the early morning slowness had worn off, I was feeling so much more. My stomach growled loudly, practically roaring for food. My toes were numb under my socks. The banging in my head seemed to have morphed into more of a thumping, which I was having a hard time deciding if that made it better or not. My entire right side was sore from staying in the same position for… _wait…did she say two days_?

I focused my bleary vision on Sarah, noticing her horribly gray sweater that looked like it had been originally white. "What did you say?"

Sarah's lip started to quiver as she continued to stare at me. The tears were starting to spill from her eyes again, though she looked like she was trying her hardest to keep them under control. "What's the last thing you remember?" she managed to ask with a shaky voice.

Although thinking seemed to stimulate more pain, I dove quickly into my memories in order to answer her. _Mandy, news, Resident Evil, Paul, floor. _"I remember hitting my head on something and falling on the floor," I rasped. I cleared my throat and winced when I felt just how dry it was. It felt like I hadn't drunk anything in weeks, or maybe months. Out of my peripheral vision, I caught Sarah's arms disappear from the side of my bed. When I looked up at her, she was across the room, leaning on her knees to reach something blocked from my vision by another bed. It was one of those really old uncomfortable looking (and feeling) mattresses on top of a metal bed frame. The kind that always creaks and has chipped off paint. I finally realized that my messed up vision was not the only thing making it hard to see in the room. There was only one light bulb in the small room, directly in the center of the ceiling. I couldn't decide if the place was a basement or an attic, but either way, I wasn't supposed to be here. The walls looked stained with a dark liquid, though I couldn't be sure if it really was stains that I was seeing, or shadows.

That's when I had an epiphany. I couldn't believe I had been so slow that I couldn't even figure this out. Sarah and I weren't where we were supposed to be. Why in the world would someone we knew keep us in a place as nasty as this?

By the time I had finished gawking at the walls surrounding us, Sarah was in front of me and trying to unscrew a bottle of water. Her hands betrayed her though, refusing to stay still for even a moment. She must have figured out how to open it like that though, because the cap popped off seconds later. Offering the bottle to me, she held on to it with both hands, most likely so she wouldn't drop it. I took it from her and watched her hands as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm sorry. I haven't been able to stop them. I don't know what's wrong with me," she explained, noticing my interest.

"Are there cameras?" I whispered quietly, gesturing to the ceiling. Sarah shook her head. "They know we're not stupid enough to try to attack them or escape."

I gulped down half of the water bottle before I spoke again. "Do you know who they are?"

Sarah locked her gaze with mine, tears brimming to the surface of her eyes again. "All I know is what they are and what they look like. They haven't even told me their names." She paused while she controlled her breathing again. "I didn't know what to do. They were so strong and brutal. When I first tried to fight back, one of them pinned me to the wall and left this." She reached up to her shoulder then and pulled at the neckline of her dirty t-shirt. By pulling it sideways, she was exposing more of her upper arm and when she made a final tug, I could see what she was trying to show me. Even in the faint light of the room, I could see the ugly yellow outline of a strangely shaped bruise halfway down her upper arm. It looked like a morbid version of a rainbow. There was yellow around the edges, purple smudges underneath that, and black and blue filling in the rest of the bruise.

"Is your arm broken?" I gasped, reaching out to grab her elbow. I pulled her closer and inspected the injury.

"No. At least I'm pretty sure it isn't. I can move it and everything," she muttered, looking down at her arm. Her face was hidden by wisps of her red hair, but I could see the tears running down her cheek and onto the bed. Without thinking about my head, I sat up quickly (and painfully) and slid to the floor beside her. My knees had barely hit the floor before she turned to me and wrapped me in a death grip.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I can't stop. I j-just really thought… I thought you were dead. I thought they had killed you and… put your body in here just to t-torture me. They wouldn't tell me a-anything. You weren't m-m-moving… and I couldn't get near you. I was too s-scared that if… if I did than it would be true. Then you really would be…" I couldn't make out the rest of her mumbles, but I let her sob out her fears and worries. She really did need it. My mind couldn't wrap around the fact that this was the same Sarah that I knew. She seemed so broken and little, definitely not like the confident girl that could embarrass just about anyone.

After what must have been a few minutes, she regained control of herself and took deep breaths, wiping her face with the hem of her shirt. The smallest hint of a smile formed on her lips. "Sorry about your shirt."

"It's fine… are you ok?" I asked. Sarah nodded her head slowly.

"Do you think… do you think you could tell me what happened up till now?" I questioned carefully, watching her reaction and preparing for another breakdown. She surprised me by nodding her head again and sniffling loudly.

"Ok. So you said you remember hitting your head on something?" she asked, apparently back together again.

"Yeah. I even have a major head ache because of it."

Sarah shook her head and glanced at the door on the other side of the room. "It wasn't your fault. It was them. I heard them talking about it when they brought you in. They said it was easy to get you because you practically walked right into them. One of the big guys grabbed a radio and slammed it into your head. He could have hit you harder, but he was trying to keep you from bleeding." _Damn. So I survived a blow from a leech._

"Wait. You were here before me? How did they get you? And when?"

"From what I've heard, they were looking for one of the imprintees that wasn't being watched all day, every day. So obviously, you were their first choice. But they wanted a back-up, just in case. So they waited for a day that another one of us was alone, and unfortunately, I just happened to sneak away from Brady. It wasn't like I was trying to run away. I was just planning on getting us some coffee before he woke up. While I was driving, something hit the top of my car, so of course I pulled off the road to check it out. As soon as I got out of the car, they bagged me and had my hands behind my back. I didn't even get a chance to struggle before I was thrown on to someone's back and carried away from the car. Eventually, they put me down and took off the bag and I was here. That was two days ago, just a few hours before you came."

In order to keep myself busy, I grabbed my water from the bed and downed another couple of gulps. I couldn't believe this was really happening to us. I mean, I wouldn't have wanted it to happen to anyone else either, but it just seemed so surreal. It was like something I would see in a suspense movie, not actually experience in real life.

Sarah shivered and rubbed her arms. I grabbed the thin, dirty blanket off the bed and wrapped it around her. "What do they plan on doing with us? I don't really see how they could use us for anything," I mused, resting my head in my hands. At least the throbbing was going away.

Sarah shrugged and stared at the floor between us. "I'm not really sure. I only know what I know because of their conversations when they bring me food. They never talk about their plans. But I do know that they need us alive for it, even if it is only temporarily. Honestly, your guess is as good as mine."

The only reason I could come up with was that they were trying to get to the pack. I couldn't even imagine how Paul and Brady were taking this. _Oh God… Paul. If everyone thought he had a temper before he met me, then what must be happening to him now? _

A clicking noise came from the door across the room. Sarah's eyes widened and her body tensed. She turned to the door slowly, watching it as if she expected Satan himself to walk through it. That's when I decided I would have to be strong for the both of us. No matter how much my head or any other body part hurt, I would have to protect the both of us. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, not even close, but if I didn't, then I might never see Paul again. And I couldn't let Sarah completely fall apart or get beaten. She was already hurt enough. No matter what came at us, a leech, demon, or even a bear, I had to take everything it threw at us. Even if I was scared out of my mind, I wouldn't show it.

The door swung open. Two figures glided into the room, one female and the other male. They both wore normal-looking clothes, though I don't really know what I expected them to be wearing. They didn't step into the light just yet. Then I heard the girl snicker.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty. I trust you had a resting sleep." She paused for a moment. Her voice sounded cold and almost smug, as if she was extremely proud of herself for some reason. I could see her head turn to the boy beside her. "Now that you're finally awake, we can properly welcome you to our humble abode."

She finally stepped into the outer edge of the light, revealing her eerily pale skin and blond hair. I wasn't really sure what vampires looked like, but she seemed too normal to me. Just like someone who hadn't seen the sun in awhile. Then I saw her eyes. I had to bite down on my lips to keep from gasping or gawking. Her eyes were a brilliant scarlet, shining mischievously from under her golden lashes. I moved my gaze to her chin, sucking the blood from my lips to distract myself. A wicked smile crossed her lips as she bowed her head mockingly. "I am Jane and this is Alec. It is a pleasure to meet you."

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**Ok, so I really wasn't planning on this. I wrote this very late at night and I'm pretty sure I was high on Nyquil... so yeah. But, I liked how it turned out (well, I don't really like what's happening, but I like the whole idea).**

**By the way, no Hannah is not completely fearless. She's just acting it for Sarah's sake. I'm just making sure everyone knew.**

**Oh, and if you haven't noticed, I changed my name. I'm not some other person trying to steal the story, I just decided to shorten the name. I'm embarrased to admit it, but I kept spelling mesmerizing wrong when I tried to log in. So it's shorter.**

**Um, I think that's it. Merry belated Christmas and Happy New Year!! ;D**

**P.S. I would love some reviews for my christmas gift *wink**wink**hint***

**--Mary**


	18. Warning: Use Caution

**Thanks for all the reviews last chapter, guys! I really didn't know how it would work, but pretty much all of you liked it :]**

**So, as a prize for the reviews... I added a little surprise in this chapter! You'll know what it is as soon as you hit it. Actually you might guess at the beginning of the story since somethind kind of gives it away. I had a lot of fun doing it too, which, as my friend has told me, makes me seem like a tortured artist or something. But I'm not ;D**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

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**Chapter 18 – Warning: Use Caution **

_She finally stepped into the outer edge of the light, revealing her eerily pale skin and blond hair. I wasn't really sure what vampires looked like, but she seemed too normal to me. Just like someone who hadn't seen the sun in awhile. Then I saw her eyes. I had to bite down on my lips to keep from gasping or gawking. Her eyes were a brilliant scarlet, shining mischievously from under her golden lashes. I moved my gaze to her chin, sucking the blood from my lips to distract myself. A wicked smile crossed her lips as she bowed her head mockingly. "I am Jane and this is Alec. It is a pleasure to meet you."_

**Hannah**

"We would greatly appreciate it if you would stop biting your lip. It's already difficult enough being around your scent," Jane said in a flat, cold voice. She didn't appear to be breathing, but maybe vampires could smell a different way. I gave myself a mental kick for not thinking to research vampires or at least ask Paul more about them. I barely knew anything about them and it seemed to be a very big disadvantage right now.

The boy, Alec, moved into the light beside Jane. To my complete and total surprise, he actually looked slightly apologetic. The opposite of the girl beside him. Well, in facial expression anyway. Other than their hair color, they could have practically been twins. While she had the murky blond hair, he had a dark, rich brown mop of hair. The shape of his lips, his straight nose, the wide red eyes… everything was identical to Jane. They were even both the same size, which I had to guess was pretty small. I was probably a foot taller than them, but I wasn't willing to stand up and calculate by just how much I passed them in height.

"Now, Jane. You could have asked nicely," Alec drawled emotionlessly, watching Jane from the corners of his eyes.

Jane turned her head and smiled at him. They looked like little children in the way they interacted with each other. Maybe it was just the fact that they seemed to be comfortable with each other. "I believe I did. I said we would appreciate it if she stopped. I could have easily just _made_ her stop," she replied in a tone with just a bit more emotion than the monotone voice she had used on me.

Alec chuckled and adjusted the collar of the black long-sleeved shirt he wore. "Oh, dear sister. It seems you need a lesson on manners." _I knew it!_ They were siblings. Of course they were. If you just dyed their hair the same color than you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the two. Well, except for the obvious body parts that girls have and guys don't and vice versa.

"What is the use in having manners if I don't plan anything nice for almost anyone I meet," Jane challenged, locking her hands together in front of her.

Ok, so I might have been scared out of my mind, but I was really getting tired of listening to their creepy conversation. As if my body knew exactly what I was feeling, my stomach chose that exact moment to voice its hunger again. One thing I did know about vampires, was that they could hear a pin drop a mile away, so I was sure they had heard my loud rumbling. Their staring eyes confirmed my theory.

"Demetri's bringing you food," Jane stated simply. I saw Sarah reach up to her injured arm and tuck it tightly in the sheet I had given her.

I decided to go ahead and chance speaking to them, although I wasn't entirely sure if they would be too happy with me. "What do you want from us?"

Jane's frown morphed into a smirk, which was not something pretty, especially with her sharp teeth glinting from the corner of her lips. "Do you really not know? I knew humans weren't the smartest creatures on the planet, but I would have expected this to be obvious. I must have overestimated your intellect," she mused, glancing at Alec with a fake bemused expression. Alec sighed and ignored his sister's look, crossing his arms over his chest. He looked like he was pretty used to his sister's cynical mind.

"You're having a little too much fun, Jane. This is strictly business, not for your entertainment," he scolded lightly, as if he wasn't really against his sister. He acted like the kinder of the two, though he didn't seem apologetic over the fact that they had us as prisoners. More like he didn't like the fact that he had to babysit us.

"Oh, Alec. You sound like Aro. Caius doesn't mind if we play with them a little. Actually, I'm sure he would encourage it. You know he likes a little fear in his games," Jane retorted, waving her hand in Alec's direction.

"Are you just going to argue with each other or are you going to answer me?" I blurted, unable to contain my frustration with them. I quickly slapped my hand over my mouth when Jane turned to me with a furious flare in her eyes. She reminded me of myself when I had to walk through mud in nice clothes. Maybe we _were_ just mud on her shoes.

I was surprised when she actually answered me instead of just killing me right there. "Your wolves are getting on our Lord's nerves. He wants them gone," Jane stated in a completely emotionless voice.

It took me a moment to realize that was all she was going to say. Not exactly what I had expected. "So…?" I trailed off, cautiously watching my words now.

Jane's glare vanished and in its place she had a slightly amused smirk. "Are you really this stupid or are you just acting to get on _my_ nerves." _Well that was rude._

I was about to answer back that I really didn't know because I wasn't a mind reader, but a soft voice in front of me stopped me immediately.

"You took us because you knew they'd be so crazy trying to find us that they wouldn't be careful in confronting you, didn't you?" I looked down at Sarah, thinking that she was talking to me (though I don't know why I thought that since _I_ didn't take us). Instead I found her staring at Jane, realization making her eyes look wider than usual.

Jane laughed in a way that sent shivers down my body. She took two steps closer to us and smiled, though I wish she hadn't. There was something about the smile that made me extremely nervous. I think I preferred the glare. "And just when I had given up on the human race! So there is hope for your kind after all," she exclaimed, throwing her arms in the air.

"That's why you took us? To mess with the pack?" I questioned quietly, staring at some mold on the ceiling. "I still don't get it though. What have they done? I know they kill vampires, but only when they've trespass on our land. They don't go out and search for vampires to kill just for the heck of it. Couldn't your…uh, _Lord_ just order the vampires to stay away?"

The expression on Jane's face made me want to crawl under the nasty mattress beside me. I swear if it weren't for the fact that I would be leaving Sarah alone, I would have done it. She looked absolutely murderous. I was almost one hundred percent sure that her eyes had turned a darker shade of red, almost a coal black. "Do we look like a species that would compromise?" It felt like her words were actually ice daggers puncturing my skin and chilling my blood. I had _never_ heard a tone like this.

She didn't wait for me to answer, though I was actually too busy trying to calm myself down to reply. "Vampires are a higher species. We do not follow the rules of your kind and we certainly do not follow those of the wolves. There might have been one weak vampire family that chose to have the wolves overpower them, but they were unusual, even for vampires." Jane spoke of the family as if they were something disgusting she had tasted and never wanted to try again. I had heard about them. Jacob told me how a family of vampires lived in Forks fifteen years ago. Apparently they weren't your normal vampires. They didn't drink human blood for one. I think Jake called them 'vegetarians,' though he had told me that they drank animal blood, so I hadn't really understood how the term applied to them. Anyway, so a long, _long _time ago, when they first appeared around here, they made a pact with the wolves that allowed them to live in Forks as long as they didn't attack a human or step onto Quileute land. Jake had pretty much stopped the story there, but when I asked Paul about it later that day, he said that something had happened between one of the male vampires and a human girl. I think Jake had a major crush on the girl and was absolutely heartbroken when the leech she was dating turned her into one of them. Jacob had run off without warning and when he came back he was, in Paul's words, 'so happy that I thought he was gonna piss himself.' Of course, it was all thanks to a blonde by the name of April that he had happened to meet on his 'vacation.'

It only took me ten seconds to run through the story in my head, but it must have been too long for Jane. Of course, I didn't realize until later that it had been Jane who had done it to me.

Before I could return my attention back to Jane, a sudden and excruciating pain wracked my body. I didn't even know what to do. I couldn't think because it was so extreme. The only thing I was conscious of was the fact that I was twisting on the ground and my voice was echoing in the room as a loud shriek. It felt like everything inside me was being torn to pieces. I was almost certain that I was going to die. There was no way that anyone could survive something like this. I felt my head slam against the metal frame of the bed as I continued to twist on the ground, igniting the headache that I had forgotten about because of my worry over Jane and Alec. The only thought that seemed to be able to pass the barrier of pain was that I was done. This was it. My final hour.

Then, as suddenly as it had come, the pain was gone like a flame that had been blown out. I was so hyper aware of everything that pertained to my body that I could feel the trickles of sweat falling down my shirt. My breath was coming in short gasps, but I still felt like I couldn't get enough air. Even though the pain was gone, my limbs still felt like they were twisted and bent. And for some odd reason, I couldn't hear anything. _Had I lost my hearing? No, I can hear something._ And then I realized what it was. My name. Over and over again. And as soon as I realized that, the sound came back at full volume.

"Hannah! Hannah?! _Hannah!_" As if the renewed pounding in my head wasn't enough, someone was shaking me hysterically.

"Stop!" I managed to rasp out, but I regretted it almost immediately. Speaking only unleashed an even bigger wave of unbearable pain in my head. I was starting to feel nauseous too. Maybe it was a good thing I hadn't eaten anything in two days.

I was barely aware of a conversation going on next to me, or more like an argument since both sides were yelling. "What did you do to her?!"

"Only what she deserved! Humans have no right to ignore us! I should have killed her! We only need one of you! And I _will not_ hesitate to do the same to you!"

"You hurt her because she_ ignored_ you?! What kind of person does that?!"

"_I. Am. Not. A. Person._" I heard two footsteps and then it was silent. There was no noise. Nothing at all. _Oh my God! Sarah!_ Even though I knew I shouldn't have, I raised myself to my elbows, shaking so badly that I was actually proud of myself for keeping myself up. As if that thought jinxed me, my arms gave out and I fell on my right side. At least I had accomplished what I was trying to do. I could see everyone else in the room now. _What the hell?_

Everyone was absolutely still. Sarah was still kneeling beside me, her arms limply hanging by her sides. What really confused me was the fact that Jane was also standing perfectly still. She was closer to us than she had been before whatever had happened to me, but she was just standing there, glaring at Sarah.

I had almost forgotten about Alec being in the room. That is, until he stepped forward from behind his sister. He had an annoyed expression on his face as he looked from Jane to Sarah to me. That's when I noticed how the air surrounding Jane and Sarah was shimmering. No joke, it looked like someone had thrown fairy dust around them. I realized that it wasn't like that around me or Alec.

I must have had the most confused look on my face because Alec spoke up to clear up the situation. "They're paralyzed. I didn't see the point in getting you too since Jane's practically immobilized you." He turned to his sister with a disapproving shake of his head. "And you know better than that. Caius said we should keep both of them alive in case we needed extra persuasion against the wolves. Sometimes you get a little too much fun from doing that," he chided.

Since this seemed like the only opportunity I would have to talk to Alec without Jane interrupting, I took advantage of it. Even though every word I spoke only made me want to die just a little faster. "What…what happ…happened to me?"

Alec sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, gesturing to Jane. "She happened. She used her power on you," he explained simply.

I was majorly confused, but I was also in a monumental amount of pain, so my mind was kind of divided between the two things. Deciding that laying against the hard floor was not helping at all, I clenched my teeth and pushed myself off the ground to a sitting/slouching position. Maybe I had done something in a past life that I needed to be punished for or something. Or maybe I was just so stupid, that fate had decided I needed to have some sense knocked into me. Whatever the reason, my head was making my whole body feel like it was still under that power thing that Jane had done to me. Well, not as bad, but still, it was bad.

"Power…?" I said dumbly. I couldn't even make a complete sentence right now. Actually, I was extremely surprised that I hadn't passed out yet.

A brief expression of surprise crossed Alec's face before he composed himself into his apparently usual indifferent look. "Certain vampires have special powers. Jane's ability lets her get into someone's head and make them think that they are basically being crumpled into a ball. Mine, on the other hand, gives me the ability to cut off someone's senses. Like you see with these two." He seemed like he was going to continue, but he froze in place and stared at the wall behind me. Before, I had been able to see his chest rise and fall with his breath, but now, he wasn't breathing at all. I glanced at his eyes, which was a huge mistake. They were darker, though not like Jane's had been when she was angry. More like a manic urge was rising through his body and expressing itself in his eyes.

Before I had a chance to process anything, Alec had grabbed Jane and bolted out of the room, the shimmering mist disappearing with him.

I jumped slightly when Sarah shook next to me, whipping her head to face the door. After a couple of seconds, she turned to me with a look of utter confusion. "What did you do?" she asked in a whisper.

"Me?" I whispered back. "No," I added, disappointed that I could only speak in one word sentences, unless I really did want to pass out. The back of my head was pounding profusely and it was starting to get so bad that I wanted to just cuddle into a ball and cry. It was weird, like Sarah and I had switched places. I thought I was gonna have to be the strong one, but apparently I couldn't. I just ended up getting more hurt and Sarah was the one protecting me. Or at least tried to. Now I was the mess and Sarah was vigilant and watching me with concern. _How did that happen?_ Maybe it was just her natural maternal instinct to fight for anyone younger than her, even though I was only five years younger than her. I had heard of cases like that. When a mother's child is in peril, they feel a burst of strength and energy and protect their young. Then again, she wasn't much older than me. Or maybe that same burst of energy could happen when a close friend was in danger. That seemed more likely in this situation.

With a groan, I reached for the back of my head with both hands, hoping that maybe just pressing them against my head would ease the thumps. As soon as I touched the most sensitive spot, I inhaled a broken gasp.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" Sarah immediately questioned, scooting a little closer to me so she could inspect me.

I slowly moved one of my hands in front of me, staring at my fingers with wide eyes. It didn't seem real to me. "Oh my goodness, Hannah! Is that from your head?!" Sarah asked anxiously, latching onto my wrist and pulling me a little closer to her.

I forced my free hand to feel around the back of my head a little more, probing certain areas. My face felt like it was set in a permanent grimace from all the held in groans. It was soaked back there. I couldn't believe I hadn't realized it earlier.

Sarah's right hand grabbed me under my chin and turned my head gently so she could see the back of my head. Her gasp only confirmed what I had already guessed at. "Hannah, this is really bad. It's everywhere. I can't even tell exactly where it's coming from. This is really bad," Sarah rambled softly, letting go of me as she sat back on her bottom. "Alec must have smelled the blood. That's why they had to get away so fast. They're not supposed to kill us and they wouldn't have been able to resist the smell. Are you feeling ok?" she continued, glancing around the room for what I assumed was something that would stop the bleeding.

"I'm… fine," I mumbled. I hadn't had such a hard time saying a simple sentence since my speech class in sixth grade. Back then I had the excuse of my stutter though. And I was lying to Sarah. I wasn't anywhere near fine. I felt like utter crap. _Is it just my imagination or is the room getting blurry?_ I didn't have time to think about that though, because in the next second, I fainted.

**Paul**

Being a werewolf, you're bound to experience some pretty painful things. Maybe a broken rib or two, a couple of gashes here and there, and even the occasional mental pain that some leeches seemed to be able to force into your mind. Everyone in the pack, even Collin and Brady, had been through at least one major injury from a bloodsucker. I was no exception to this. Actually, I had probably suffered a bit more than the others in the pack and I admit, it was mostly my fault. I was always itching for a challenge, even if I knew I might get seriously hurt. I'd had a few shattered bones before, mainly due to the fact that I charged before thinking.

But this was all before I imprinted. Before I had anything to come back to. Ever since the day I laid my eyes on her, I had vowed to keep control of myself, or at least somewhat. I couldn't even imagine not coming back to her now.

But, like I said, I've been through some bad stuff. Nothing, absolutely _nothing_ compared to this. To what was tearing my body from the inside out. And it wasn't as if I could just heal quickly like I did with everything else. This was something that couldn't be healed until I had her again. It was like the longer she was gone and in danger, the more it ate away at my insides. And, of course, this was bringing out the worst in me. I knew I was being unreasonably hostile and explosive, but could you blame me? She had literally become the center of my world, and I hadn't seen her in days. True, I had been away from her before, for weeks actually, but I had still watched her from a distance. I had practically stalked her for the weeks that I hadn't been able to hold her. I knew undoubtedly that she was safe because she was tangible, in my sight at almost all times.

This was a completely different situation. I didn't know anything except that she wasn't dead. I should be able to feel it if the woman I loved was dead, right? At least, that's what I told myself over and over. Those bloodsuckers could be torturing her for information she probably didn't have for all I knew! Why did they take her? Well, I knew why, but they didn't have to kidnap our imprints just to bring us to them. I couldn't speak for the rest of the pack, but I would have raced into an obvious trap with just a threat to her. Then again, they had threatened us. We knew the young girls that were drained of blood last week had been them. It was obviously a show of how serious they were about trying to unnerve us. We just made the terrible mistake of not trying to figure out exactly what their intentions were.

Now, my worst nightmare had come true. It had started when I was rushing back to my house after my patrol. Their scent had been so fresh and close that it had practically made my fangs grow. I immediately expected the worst. I thought that I would crash through my back door, fly through the shattered pieces of my door, and find her lying on the floor, the life sucked out of her. What I didn't know was that that wasn't the worst that could happen. I knew now though. I knew perfectly well what they were capable of. And it sucked.

And now I could do nothing but run around in the woods and hope to God that one of us would pick up their scent. I don't think I've ever gone on such a long patrol. Of course, I slept, but only when my body was so exhausted that I couldn't even move faster than a turtle. Then again, I wasn't exactly sleeping either. It was just like giving my body a break by lying on my bed staring out the window. And for once in my entire existence, I wasn't eating constantly. I mean, sure, I ate, but only when I needed to keep my energy up or when Sam forced me to take a break.

That pissed me off the most. No one else was working as much as possible. Well, Brady was, but that was a given since his imprint was taken too. It made me wonder if they would have ran nonstop if their own imprint had been taken. Basically, it was me and Brady, all day, every day. At least, twenty hours of every day. Our bond as brothers in a pack had only deepened with both of our needs to find our girls. He was the only one I didn't yell at. He was my backup if my body failed me, and I was his.

That's what we were doing now. It was day five of searching for them and still no sign of them anywhere. The pack had scoured every corner of La Push and most of Port Angeles and Forks. Brady and I were searching along the outer city line of Port Angeles while Quil, Seth, and Leah sniffed out Forks. Embry, Collin, and Jared were looking around La Push again, just in case one of the bloodsuckers had decided to pass through recently. We could all hear each other's thoughts, even from the distance. I was sure that the rest of the pack was trying to ignore mine and Brady's thoughts, though. All we were thinking was: _Hannah, Hannah. Sarah, Sarah. Hannah. Sarah. Damn vampires._ Those were literally our only thoughts. We didn't listen to the attempt at normal conversation between the pack. Each of our thoughts consisted of only two things: our imprint and how we were going to kill the leeches.

I was surprised that we still hadn't found any sign of the vampires. I thought the whole point in taking Hannah and Sarah was to lure us into their trap, not to hold them hostage while we searched the entire state of Washington for them. So why hadn't they left a scent for us to follow yet?

_Guys! Get over here! I can smell Sarah!_ The mental voice sounded like Seth. A lone howl sounded in the air, which I assumed was Seth trying to inform us of his location.

Even though the rest of the pack was busy trying to figure out whether it really was her scent or not, I had taken off for Forks. Since I couldn't hear Brady joining in the mental cacophony, I figured he must be sprinting too. It wasn't long before we met up near the edge of La Push and continued at a breakneck pace for Forks.

_All right. I called Sam and Jacob. They're going to meet us where you are, Seth. Sam said to wait there. _Jared's calming voice sounded in my head.

_Hell no, _was all I could manage to spit out through my rage. They expected me to wait for them to make a stupid plan before I made sure Hannah was safe! In their freaking dreams!

_Paul, Brady, you both have to calm down. If we just run in there without any plan then someone could get seriously hurt. Including Hannah and Sarah._ Jared said in a strained voice. I knew why he was so wound up. We hadn't had any trouble with a vampire in awhile and he knew me well enough to know that I wasn't going to wait around. Especially not now.

_I think we should go now. The longer we wait, the more time they'll have to gain an advantage on us._ I never thought I would be glad that Leah was talking. Of course she would be the one. She was like me. She loved a fight. Not to mention the fact that she actually really liked Hannah and Sarah. There were few people in this world that Leah liked and if you tried to hurt one of them, then she'd have you wishing she killed you quickly by the time she was only halfway done with you.

_Yeah, but they could already be hurt. We don't even know if they're still alive, _Collin thought nervously. He was always cautious when confronting vampires. It wasn't that he was scared or didn't want to fight, he just preferred it when we had a plan. Actually, most of the pack did. But that still didn't excuse his thought.

I practically snarled in my thoughts, unable to form any words. Someone else was growling deeply too, whom I guessed was Brady.

_I'm going. I respect Sam and everything, but we're putting their lives at risk. I guess it's a good thing I'm the fastest,_ Leah said firmly before I heard a multitude of protest coming from everyone else. She must have taken off without letting them even try to reason with her. I didn't think I would have ever felt relieved that Leah was rebelling against Sam's orders. Usually, I backed Sam up, considering I was his beta. But not this time. It was impossible for me to wait right now. How could I worry about rules and alphas when the love of my life could very possibly be breathing her last breaths at this moment?

_Stop thinking like that, Paul. We're gonna get there before anything can happen to either of them. _Brady. I was surprised for a moment that he had actually spoken to calm me down. He hadn't spoken much the past week unless it was something that had to do with Sarah. Or patrolling. Anyway, it didn't matter who tried to calm me down. I wasn't going to even try to control myself until I was holding Hannah in my arms again. She was safe. She had to be. Besides, she was my imprint for a reason. If she could handle me, then I was sure she would be able to stick up for herself with a few leeches.

Brady and I surged past La Push and into Forks, following Seth's scent until we hit the bitter smell. There wasn't anything to describe the smell, it was just… _vampire._ Then we were on the bloodsuckers trail and soon, we caught Sarah's scent mingled with it. In just moments, Sarah's smell cloaked most of the vampire's. I swear I heard Brady growl when we came across it.

We didn't bother to even pause when we passed the pack. Everyone was there, including Sam and Jacob. They were huddled together in a sort of circle. Brady and I made sure to speed past them a couple of yards away, but we knew they had still seen and heard us. I was doing everything possible to block out their thoughts, which surprisingly wasn't too difficult since I focused on one thing and one thing only while I ran.

_Hannah._

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**Mua hahaha! Just kidding! I love Paul! I could never like hurting him :[**

**Surprisingly, I had a really easy time writing his point of view. Maybe it's just because he's awesome like that.**

**Oh, I just thought I'd mention, this story is winding down. I'm not _exactly _sure how many chapters are left, but if I had to estimate, I'd say about 4. So, I will enjoy every moment I can writing the lives of these characters! **

**--Mary {p.s. Review!}**


	19. It's All Or Nothing

**So... yeah. There's only one word that'll explain why it took me so long... school.**

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! Keep 'em coming :D**

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**Chapter 19 – It's All or Nothing**

Imagine the worst thing that's ever happened to you, physically and mentally… now multiply that by ten. That's pretty much what I've been going through for the past three days. Although I hate being over dramatic, this situation needed no exaggeration. It's exactly what I'm making it sound like.

The second time I fainted I was only out for half a day. I woke up on the hard mattress again, but this time it was just a bit worse. As soon as I woke up, Sarah was by my side, offering me water and encouraging me to sit up. With a vast amount of difficulty, I managed to lift myself, but Sarah needed to lean me against the wall my bed was pressed up against so I wouldn't fall over. Then she pulled out a roll of gauze and explained what she was going to do. Apparently she couldn't wrap my head while I was asleep because she needed me to keep my own head up. So, with the precision that she had gained while studying to become a nurse, she neatly and gently cleaned what she could and covered my wound with just the right amount of gauze. When I asked her how she got the medical supplies, she just muttered something about how the vampires threw them in by opening the door just a crack.

I knew it was worse than she was making it out to be. It was clear in her eyes that it wasn't just a scrape. She obviously couldn't clean it as well as she wanted to and that was, in my opinion, the most dangerous part. But, when I dragged some information out of her, she admitted that her worst worry was that I might have a concussion. Seeing as how almost all my life I had played a ton of physically demanding games with Richard and his friends, I had experienced a concussion before. Actually, I'd had two in my entire life. One was when I fell out of a tree. The other was from a game of football in the rain with Richard and a couple of my cousins. Yeah, I know. Not exactly my brightest moment.

Anyway, I didn't think it was _that_ serious. A concussion usually gave you hallucinations and stuff like that. But I felt fine in that aspect. No matter what I said though, Sarah continued worrying over my head, changing the gauze every chance she got.

A couple of hours after I had woken up I was feeling slightly better. My head was basically a cement block on top of my body, but I could talk in an almost normal way. One of the vampires opened the door just enough to slide in a tray with food, followed by two wet rags. They barked at us to clean up the blood or they'd kill us whether they wanted to or not. Personally, I wasn't in the mood to clean up, but the food looked so amazing to my hunger-crazed eyes that I forced myself to crawl over to it even though my head was protesting to any movement.

Sarah had demanded that I eat her plate too since she had supposedly eaten just that morning. When I continued to protest, she shoved a strip of chicken into my mouth. Instead of wasting energy fighting with her, I conceded and ate half of her plate, claiming that I was full so she could have the rest. I'm pretty sure I drank at least ten water bottles that day.

Obviously Sarah and I had to use the bathroom… badly. So we scrubbed at every drop of blood around the room. We even went as far as stripping my bed and balling the sheets up before wrapping them in Sarah's sheets. Sarah pounded on the door and told me to wait behind my bed just in case I still had the smell of blood on me.

A vampire I hadn't met before swung open the door, frozen in the doorway. He was extremely tall and definitely muscled. He had the same typical vampire characteristics as the others, like the pale skin and red eyes. His hair was a very dark brown, almost black, and short. He wore simple clothing, just black pants and a long-sleeved black shirt. The weird thing about him was how professional and serious his expression was. He didn't seem to have any emotion at all. Every feature on his face was hard and set and he was obviously not breathing, which was a huge relief for me.

Sarah had stepped back a bit to keep distance between them, but she was still facing him. The vampire must have known exactly what we wanted because he stepped aside and stared at us emotionlessly. Sarah turned her head and gestured for me to follow her, since she already knew the way to the bathroom. I had skittered past him, keeping close to Sarah and watching my back.

Over the next day and a half, Sarah and I were able to find out more about the vampire's plan and motives. We would take turns keeping watch and sometimes, the vampires would open the door to check on us and start talking about the reason they were here between themselves. We gathered that there were at least ten vampires staying in the house. We had remembered every name they used and counted them up, but there could have been more vampires we didn't know about. They also seemed to be some kind of army for a guy named Caius. They called him their Lord, but they also called another guy named Aro their Lord too. Apparently Aro didn't know anything about what was going on because Caius had ordered the army here behind his back. It sounded like Caius was just some power hungry psycho who didn't like the fact that the pack even existed. They had made up some story about a rebel vampire creating some newborns (whatever that was) in the States and Caius claimed that he was taking care of it with this army. The real and only purpose of the army was to kill off all of the werewolves. They planned to use our scent to lure the wolves in and then, _bam!_ They would ambush them and use us as incentive to keep the wolves from attacking them.

Today was the fifth day since we'd been taken. We couldn't tell what time it was, but we knew it was early afternoon, solely because the vampires had woke us up in the early morning. That's the only way we could ever tell what time of day it was. We had to guess by the way the vampires talked. Like this morning when Demetri (the vampire that seemed to always be the one to give us food and waited for us as we went to the restroom) slammed the door open and woke me from my half-asleep state. It was my turn to stay up, so Sarah had been sleeping and I, unfortunately, dozed off. Anyway, he said something about how we were sleeping away the morning light and then told us to give him something of ours. I didn't even move because the only thing I could give them and still look appropriate was Paul's jacket that I was still wearing, and there was no way I was giving that up (partly because of my blood on it and partly because I _needed_ it to stay sane). So, Sarah pulled off the sweater she was wearing over her long-sleeved shirt and threw it at the vampire. I didn't even see him catch it, but he must have and then he was gone.

That had happened a few hours ago, and we hadn't seen any of the vampires since. They hadn't even brought us food yet. Sarah and I were sitting on her bed, telling funny stories or voicing our wishes for the future. It was the only thing we could do to pass the time without breaking down every five minutes. It gave us hope.

"Really? You want at least _five_ kids? No offense, but that's way too crazy for me," I mused, playing with a loose strand of my hair. I sighed and brought my knees up to my chest before laying my forehead on my knees. It was one of those stupid side effects of the injury. I got tired so easily from doing absolutely nothing.

"It's ok. My own parents have told me it's crazy. But I've always wanted a big family and I didn't have that when I was little since I was an only child. I mean, yeah, I probably got super spoiled and everything, but I always thought that I would have so much more fun if I had a little sister to talk to. Besides, kids are cute," Sarah replied nonchalantly.

I felt something touch the side of my face, which I guessed was her hand checking if I had a fever again.

"I already told you I feel better. I'm not dying," I repeated for what seemed like the fifth time today. And it was sort of true. I wasn't dying, obviously. As for what I felt…I wasn't even sure anymore. It was like I had gotten so used to the pain that I didn't really feel it anymore. Unless I had one of those random bursts of extreme. Usually, I was able to hide under my new sheets during those times. Sarah caught me yesterday though, not to mention it was an especially bad one. I swear she looked at me like I had just been hit by a truck, which, ironically, was what I felt like.

All I wanted now, though, was to think about good things. There was no reason to brood about the horrible things. So I changed the topic as subtly as I could. "I want three. Two boys and a girl. I know you can't exactly plan out what sex the kids will be, but if I could, that's what I would want. Then Paul would have two boys to teach football to."

Sarah was quiet for a long minute and although I couldn't see her, I was pretty sure she was staring at me. "You know they're going to get us out of here, right?"

"Of course I know. They'll do everything in their power to get us back. But I'm not so sure that's a good thing. I mean, it's part of the vampires' plan that they'll be distracted by us, so it's kind of a disadvantage. I don't like that at all," I mumbled, pausing for a moment to control my breathing. "I wouldn't be able to stand it knowing that Paul might get hurt because he's putting me before himself."

"I know," Sarah said quietly. "But it's their instinct to risk their own lives to protect the people they love." Sarah's arm wrapped around my shoulders and I automatically leaned closer to her.

"You know, they should make a T.V. show about us. Like Army Wives, except we'll be Wolf Wives. The WWs," I laughed softly, relieved that I could still think of weird and random things even in the worst situation. Sarah started laughing too, which only made me laugh a little louder.

We spent a while talking about more things we wanted for our future. Like what kind of car we wanted, what job, and where we wished we could go for each of our honeymoons, though we knew we couldn't go far for very long because of the duty our guys had to protect La Push.

Sarah was explaining something about the negatives of having a wedding on a beach when we heard a crash above us. It sounded like the door had been knocked down or maybe someone had crashed through the wall.

Before Sarah and I could begin to wonder what it was, our door flew off its hinges with a loud crack, shattering into little splinters against the opposite wall. Demetri was in front of us in a blur, throwing the both of over his shoulders. I almost vomited from the impact of my stomach slamming against his hard shoulder, but I was able to clench my stomach and hold it in. It was all happening so fast that I wasn't able to process anything fast enough to do something about it. By the time I realized I was on Demetri's shoulder, he was running at a remarkable speed up a stairway and into a large room where almost a dozen vampires were flashing by.

"Demetri! Take them outside now and hide. We won't need to use them until the wolves become uncooperative," an eerily familiar voice commanded. I was able to catch a glimpse of a blonde head disappearing up another stairway before Demetri pivoted and went flying out the back door. He continued across the empty backyard until he reached the forest. He stopped so suddenly that I almost flew off his shoulder and onto the ground, but he caught me around my legs and twisted so I landed on my back, but slightly more gentle than I would have if he had let me fall. Sarah fell beside me with a light thud, scrambling to a sitting position as quickly as she could. She looked at me quickly, her eyes clouded with concern and confusion. She must have been able to sense that I was about to have another burst of pain or something because as soon as I lifted my head off the ground, it practically exploded. There was nothing I could do but cover my head and grit my teeth. I realized then that I had crashed into a fallen log, which Demetri must have put us close to in order to hide us behind it if he needed to. How did I not notice that sooner?

The first thought that ran through my head was, _is my head a freaking magnet for hard things?!_ I was seriously considering the possibility, especially since it seemed unreal that I had just happened to hit something else in the exact spot where I was already hurt. That sort of thing only happened in cheesy action shows.

So I didn't think I had a concussion before…but now, it actually seemed like a possibility. Three times in one spot! That had to result in something really bad, right?

I heard Sarah gasp beside me, almost as an echo from far away. Through my blurred vision, I saw her reach into her jeans pocket and pull out a roll of gauze. She must have decided that she didn't have time to unwrap my head and wrap it again because she started wrapping the gauze around my head without taking the first one off first. I had to dig my fingers into the dirt under me in order to keep from slapping her hands away. It hurt so badly. Without thinking, I bit my tongue hard, hoping that it would keep me distracted from my head. It sort of worked, but not completely.

I knew Sarah was finished when I felt her tucking something into the wrapping, clipping it together. I saw her throw a small cardboard roll behind her and then she was in front of me. She opened her mouth to say something, but before even a sound could come out, she was lifted from the ground and carried away at such a speed, that I didn't even have time to look at what had taken her.

Something hard and cold wrapped around my wrist and pulled me up to stand, roughly holding me up. That's when I heard the commotion.

There were voices yelling from the house, ordering everyone else to certain places and to grab other things. When I was able to turn my head in the direction of the house, I could just see three blurred figures at the back door, standing still. But in the forest and in front of us, vampires moved in blurs and flashes, in the trees, bushes, and sometimes just standing in the open. I couldn't see anything more than twenty feet away clearly, but I could see a vampire holding Sarah not even eight feet to my left. He had one arm under her neck and the other holding back her arms in an uncomfortable looking position.

"Demetri, Felix. Keep yourselves hidden until I call you. We'll only show them the imprints when they begin acting up," Jane's voice travelled across the yard, which meant she was one of the three at the back door. If not for the excruciating pain in my head at the moment, I would have wondered why she wanted us to stay hidden. However, since it felt like my head was splitting open and my vision was starting to get worse, I couldn't have cared less what Jane was planning.

Demetri's arm seemed to clench harder suddenly, which I really had thought was impossible. Then the noise to my right changed from chatter to silence, and seconds later, there was something almost animalistic resounding across the yard. It took me at least two minutes to recall what the word for that sound was. Something was growling fiercely. That thought, though a small one it was, made me turn my head towards the noise.

A light gray wolf stood in a crouched position just in front of the forest line, half hidden in the shadows of the trees. It was in my range of clear visual, so I could see the details of its face. Its muzzle was wrinkled because of its raised lips, flaunting a set of pearly white canines. The furious flare of fire in the animal's light brown eyes tugged at the edge of my memory, but I gave up trying to figure it out after five seconds of pure pain.

My vision started to fade into black at the edges, making it even harder to see my surroundings. I knew I would black out soon, so I tried my hardest to grit my teeth and listen closely to what was happening.

"Ah, so they sent the runt. How nice. You're the female, correct?" Jane's mocking titter sounded, which was closely followed by a sharper growl. _It's a girl…there's only one girl in the pack. What's her name?_

"…a warm-up? Honestly, there's no need for it. We just came to…negotiate." A sort of coughing bark came from the wolf after Jane finished. At first, I briefly thought Jane was using her power on the wolf and that was the way she voiced her pain. Then I heard the vampire that was holding Sarah hiss something that explained the awkward sound.

"The damn thing's laughing at us! This talking is unnecessary. We could have broken its neck by now." The cold arm that was wrapped around my shoulders twitched slightly.

"Keep your mouth closed, Felix," Demetri rumbled above me in a hint of a whisper.

Suddenly, my vision was gone and I was back in the darkness, unable to hear or feel anything. I don't know how long I had blacked out for, but it seemed like only a minute to me. However, when I wrenched my eyes open again and everything came tumbling back with it, the scene in front of me had changed. The small gray wolf that had been all alone was now behind a much larger, dark silver wolf. On the right side of the dark silver wolf was another wolf, smaller than the wolf in front of him, but larger than the gray one. He had fur that was blended with light brown and white colors, one I had never seen in the pack (though I had only seen Paul, Quil, and Jacob in wolf form). I had thought that the little gray one looked mad, but the new ones that had just appeared seemed like they were ready to murder a few hundred vampires. Even with my blurred vision, I could see every sharp tooth in their mouths. Their ears were flat against their heads while both of their heads lowered in a threatening gesture.

I'm not sure why it took me so long to realize who the silver wolf was, but it finally came to me in a quick snap. He had come! He was finally here! Then I realized exactly what he had charged into.

I turned my head to look at Sarah, only to see her with the same mixed expression as me. She was obviously overjoyed by something, but she also seemed terrified, equaling a confusing pool of emotions. Based on her reaction to Paul and the other new wolf, I had to guess that the brown and white wolf was Brady, which would make perfect sense. _Of course Brady would come for Sarah._

The wolves were glaring at Jane, quivering where they stood, though I knew it wasn't from fear. Looking at Paul again, it gave me a sudden burst of energy that I knew shouldn't be possible in my condition. I wanted to slip from Demetri and run to Paul so we could get away from this place and never look back. But, I knew that even in my healthiest and strongest moment, I wouldn't be able to get away from Demetri or any other vampire, so I settled for the only thing I could do.

"Run!" I yelled as loud as I could, which actually wasn't much, but it was enough in the silence of the standoff in the clearing. Instantly, Demetri's arm moved up to my neck and squeezed, while the other clamped over my mouth. He cursed in a growl, pulling me closer to him until I was sure I would snap. I managed to catch a glimpse of the clearing again. The little gray wolf was still watching Jane, I assumed because she didn't trust the vampires enough to look away. But Paul and Brady, their ferocity disappeared and in its place was such a blend of emotions, that I couldn't identify even one. Paul was staring at the exact place where I was, but I couldn't tell anything by his expression.

"Well, I guess we have to bring them out now. Might as well. Demetri, Felix," Jane sighed dramatically, a hint of frustration in her voice.

Demetri only held me tighter, moving his arm from my mouth to my waist and lifting me off the ground. He easily walked around the wolves and to the other side of the yard, facing the wolves. I barely noticed Sarah beside me. I was almost completely depleted of energy again, and I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. I wasn't going to stay conscious much longer.

At almost the same moment that we were dragged out of the forest, the air echoed with snarls and growls. Paul and Brady tried to move forward, but then three more vampires that were hiding in the forest burst out and stood between us and the wolves.

"Ah, ah, ah. Not yet, mutts. Where's the rest of your pack?" Jane teased, the smile on her face clearly expressing how much fun she was having.

The only answer to her question was another snarl from Paul. Brady seemed too busy sizing up the three vampires in front of them to care about Jane and the little gray wolf was scanning the trees suspiciously.

Jane seemed to be getting a little impatient with the wolves, especially since she couldn't actually talk to them and expect them to answer back. Obviously they didn't trust her enough to morph back into human form and speak with her. "That's enough of that. Tell us where the pack is or we'll snap their necks. Or would you rather we break their arms so you can watch them suffer?"

Demetri's arm moved up from my waist until it was at my shoulder, gripping it tightly. If a wolf could look surprised, that would be the expression on Paul's face. He let out a sharp bark and turned to Jane, his eyes set back into a glare. They stared at each other for such a long time that I thought they were communicating telepathically.

"Well then, there's no more use for the three of you. The pack will come soon in search of you and the less there are of you, the better," Jane smiled coldly, nodding her head at the three vampires between us and the wolves.

It was such a blur of movement that I didn't even realize anyone had moved until I heard a grunt from one of the wolves, followed by a whine of pain. By the time I looked at the source of the sound, there was a full-blown battle in process. The small gray wolf was lifting herself up from the ground in front of a tree, looking slightly surprised and extremely pissed off. There was a vampire grinning manically in front of her, poised for another attack. A cacophony of snarls and hisses focused my attention on the scene beside her. If I weren't feeling so weak at the moment, I would have surely cried or screamed.

Brady was currently in a standoff with one of the three vampires, both making noises to intimidate the other. They must have already clashed once because I could see a few spots where Brady's light fur was pulled out and an already healing gash along his shoulder. And I don't know if it was my imagination or not, but the vampire seemed to be missing an arm.

The final vampire was grappling with Paul, both trying to snatch at pieces of each other. There was a deep cut on Paul's muzzle, spilling his blood on the ground and himself. I couldn't see anything wrong with the vampire other than a lot of ripped clothes. That is, until he turned his head and I saw a gaping hole in the space where his ear should have been. Then, in a flash of arm movements, the vampire slipped from under Paul and grabbed onto one of his legs, keeping Paul's head back with his free arm. I knew he was going to pull as hard as he could the second that he got Paul's teeth away from him.

"WAIT!" I yelled with as much force as possible at the moment. I didn't realize it until then that I was crying, which would explain the weird choking sensation that I kept feeling. Jane turned to me and must have had a moment of sympathy or pity for me because she snapped her fingers and the three vampires stopped their barrage of attacks, leaping back into their original places. I hadn't been imagining the missing limbs.

"Yes?" Jane asked smugly, smiling with so much joy that I thought she actually did look like a little kid, except for the gleaming red eyes. That's when I realized she hadn't stopped because she felt sorry for me. It was just because she wanted to rub salt in the wound.

I took a couple of deep breaths and struggled against Demetri's arms to release myself. In my peripheral vision, I noticed Alec whispering something to Jane before she nodded her head at Demetri and he dropped his arms. I heard Felix groan under his breath before I heard Sarah taking deep breaths a few feet from me.

I glanced from under my hair at the wolves, relieved to see them all in one piece and standing. Paul was shaking his head slightly, his tongue hanging out of his mouth as he caught his breath. His eyes practically bore into me, as if trying to tell me something. And I knew exactly what he would have told me if he could talk: _Stay back._ But of course, I wouldn't. He couldn't really expect me to stand there and watch them get torn apart.

"I have an idea," I said, wiping my face of all traces of tears. My hands shook so badly that I'm pretty sure everyone noticed. Then, Jane looked at me expectantly. "What's stopping the pack from killing you if you don't have anything they want?"

Jane raised an eyebrow, contemplating what I had just asked her. "Go on," she said, intrigued for just a moment. Hopefully I could keep her attention for as long as it took the pack to get here and back up Paul, Brady, and… dang, I still couldn't think of her name.

"Obviously the pack's not going to care about us anymore because you've killed Paul and Brady, so we won't be their first priority." I stopped for a moment to catch Paul's incredulous stare, begging him to stay quiet. "And since these three will be gone, they won't feel the need to pause before attacking you. They'll have a plan by the time they get here, so they'll just rush in if they don't see any of us alive."

Jane turned her head to whisper with Alec, who just shrugged and nodded his head. She faced me again, smiling in a way that made me nervous. "You make a fine point." My whole body relaxed at that sentence, but it reacted too soon. "But we only need one of them. Which one shall it be?"

I looked up at her incredulously. She was messing with me. The ugly leech. God, I hated her! Her grin widened slightly as she turned to look at the healing wolves. "I'm assuming since you haven't answered you would rather I choose the lucky mutt."

I felt like crying again. How could she even ask me something like that? I didn't want any of them to die. My energy had officially expired. Her question had dragged the last of my will to stay conscious out of me. My legs buckled and I fell on my butt roughly, keeping myself from falling onto my back.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot you were hurt. Oops. I hope it's nothing serious," Jane snickered, having just a little too much fun with all of this.

Something touched my shoulder and supported my back, taking just a bit of the weight off me. My hands automatically reached for my head, but whoever was holding me grabbed them and held them down on my lap. "You'll just make it worse if you keep touching." Sarah. That's who was holding me. I felt stupid for all of ten seconds before I was too exhausted to even do that.

"Please let her go. I don't care if you keep me, but she needs to get to a hospital. I'm almost a hundred percent sure that she has a concussion and maybe… maybe even an infection," Sarah's voice drifted into my ears in a low tone, though I was pretty sure that wasn't how she was really talking.

"Aw. What a shame," Jane stated emotionlessly. I lifted my head up, hoping to get a glimpse of the situation. Well… at least no one I cared about was dead.

I heard a soft whimper from across the yard, coming from the torn silver wolf. His eyes scrutinized me, watching me so carefully that I was sure he was trying to _see_ just how bad I was. I managed a small smile, hoping it would reassure him at least a bit. I was surprised at first when the only thing he did was widen his eyes and swivel his ears towards the woods. Then, without any warning whatsoever, he surged forward and launched himself at the nearest vampire, clamping down on the thing's neck. The next thing I knew, there was a head rolling in the grass and Paul was moving forward again, barreling past another vampire that had emerged from the forest.

Flashes of color leaped from the trees, bringing with them an eruption of hisses, snarls, growls, and yells. All I was able to process were huge furry shadows crashing with pale crouching figures. "Where are Malcolm and Santiago?! Those imbeciles!" A very angry voice screamed across the yard, their sentence morphing into a hiss like a surprised cat.

I was aware of two things: Sarah shielding me from the craziness in front of us and the noise. It was unbearable and I was starting to wish that Alec could use his ability to cut off my senses.

The last thing I remember is a huge shadow falling over me, caused by a scruffy, towering wolf standing over me. And then I slipped into unconsciousness.

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**Oh, I feel so mischievous .**

**But I liked it! It was fun writing action-y depression-y chapters.**

**Reviews please!**

**--Mary**


	20. Believing

**Man, I cannot believe I am basically done with this story. It doesn't even seem like I've been writing it that long (but of course, I have). **

**Well, this is technically the last chapter, but there will be an epilogue up soon. Then it's finished... wow.**

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**Chapter 20 – Believing **

No matter how hard I tried, I could not figure out what in the world was wrong with me. At first I had thought I was just in some nightmare, but it wasn't like any other I had had. Lately, any and every nightmare I had included either shadows around me with gleaming fangs or a pitch black forest with no escape. I guess if I really wanted to believe it was a dream, than this could count as one of those creepy forests, but it just didn't seem _right_. Or wrong, whatever. There should have been something that gave it away. But there wasn't. It was just… darkness.

No moon in the sky, no sounds at all, no feeling. It was probably the loneliest and most frustrating place in the world. I couldn't even remember what had happened before this. There was a tiny inkling of a thought that made me think something bad had happened, but my mind had built a brick shelter over my memories. Push and push as I might against that wall, I had no feeling of sudden knowledge of my bearings.

I don't remember what I did during that period of nothingness, and I was never able to. There was no time, just plain existing. That's why when I finally came to, I had no idea how long I had been in that state.

The first thing to return was my ability to hear. It didn't all come at once, as most would expect. It began with a muffled beat, almost like a heartbeat, but slower and much quieter. After some unknown time, the sound grew clearer and with it I could hear other things too. The beat turned into a consistent beep, growing shriller as my hearing became better. Occasionally I would hear warbled speech. I only knew it was someone talking because there were different tones to the noise. Sometimes it was deep and rough, other times it was broken and soft, and there were even times when it was shrill and fast.

Before I knew it, I was able to actually decipher the speech until I finally understood what was being said.

"What are we going to do if she doesn't wake up? I can't stand it anymore, Shawn. The doctors don't even talk to us anymore. They just send the nurses in with those stupid clipboards to record numbers off these stupid monitors. The only thing that lets me know that she's even alive is that damn beeping and I don't think I can listen to it for one more day. I can't… I just… I don't know…"

"Sshhh. I know, I know. Believe me, I want to beat those doctors over the head just as much as you do, but it's not their fault. They've done everything they can. They said it all depends on her now. But you know what? It's because of that fact that I _know_ she's going to wake up. Our daughter is one of the most amazing people I know and she would never, ever be willing to live the rest of her life asleep. You know she always does her best to make the people she loves happy and there are too many people loving her for her to quit. I bet you right now she's beating herself up trying to wake up just so she can apologize for worrying us. She'll come back to us. Maybe not today, but she will."

The talking stopped while the first voice began to sob and the second continued to murmur that everything would be fine. I wasn't sure how much longer after I heard the voices I realized that they were my parents, but as soon as I did, I wanted nothing more than to be able to wake up and hug them. But even though that sounds like the easiest thing in the world to do, I couldn't even lift a finger or flutter my eyelids.

As time went on I was able to distinguish all of the voices that spoke to me. Mandy and Lance visited to tell me about what was going on at school and how I would have to work my butt off to make up all the work I was missing. I felt horrible when I heard Mandy's voice break a few time until she finally gave up talking and just cried.

Claire usually came by with Quil. She rambled on and on about everything that came to her mind, whether it was fashion, sports, or her latest plans to go on a shopping spree. Quil would cut in often to make a witty remark or to warn me to stop Claire from buying me a whole new wardrobe. After every single one of her bye's, I could hear her sigh and begin to sniffle.

Richard visited a few times too. My heart almost burst with happiness when he would frequently call me Frizz. He mostly scolded me for taking such a long nap and making him miss a couple classes, promising that when I finally decided to wake up he would have to give me a long lecture on napping etiquette.

There were other people too. Friends from school, a couple nurses that worked with my mother, the pack. And then there was almost always Paul. I don't know how I knew he was in the room with me, but I just knew. Even when he wasn't talking, I could hear his breathing from beside me. The only times that I knew he stepped out of the room was when other people came to visit and talk to me. He would always excuse himself and whisper an 'I'll be back' to me before I heard his footsteps and a door close when they receded.

I loved having him beside me because he would always talk about some of the stupid and amazing times we'd had together. He reminded me about dates that had gone horribly wrong and had still ended wonderfully. Like once when I had gotten a little ticked off at him and had threw myself into his truck and locked the doors, refusing to let him inside. Even when it had started pouring down rain and he had tried to scare me out of the truck by yelling that there was a huge spider on the roof. Of course, I had let him in when he had used his adorable pouting face. He laughed warmly at the memory of hugging me tight to him, soaking me with his drenched clothes and making me squeal and try to push him away.

Next came the feeling. I still couldn't move any part of my body, but I could feel anything that was touching me. The soft, uncomfortable hospital blankets. An annoying and painful tube that seemed to penetrate inside me through my nostrils. Warm hands touching me at all times. At least one of Paul's hands was holding my hand or resting on my arm constantly. There were so many times where I wished I could just squeeze his hand back to try to comfort him.

Finally, one quiet day, I was able to break through the barrier in my mind that blocked me from my motor sensors and my pinky twitched. I was so ecstatic that I almost spent the rest of the day obsessing over that one small movement.

Then I heard a chair scrape against the floor and a soft grunt as I assumed someone sat on the chair. A second later, I felt a rough, calloused hand sweep across the back of my hand, repeating the motion again before it stopped and rested on top of my wrist. I could hear the television in my room spouting out dialogue from a cheesy western movie. There was another person in the room other than the one beside me, but based on the sound of their even breathing, I guessed they were asleep.

With more effort than I would have used to lift my heavy backpack, I focused everything on my eyes, willing my eyelids to open. I was rewarded moments later when a sliver of light broke through the darkness that I had become so accustomed to. With one last push at the walls that were close to crumbling, I opened my eyes as far as I could without blinding myself with the bright light.

After blinking about a hundred times to adapt to the complete contrast in brightness, I took in my surroundings with a confused and discombobulated sweep of the room. The walls were almost painfully white, reflecting the bright rows of lights in the ceiling. There was a T.V. in the far left corner of the room, flashing scenes that I couldn't quite make out. Two empty plush chairs were backed against the far wall, facing me. To my left was a door and directly beside me there were machines with flashing green lights and metal stands holding up bags of liquid. There was a small nightstand with a couple stuffed animals and cards stacked on top of it. A few boxes of chocolate and other sweets laid precariously on the corner of the stand, one or two boxes opened.

I turned my head slowly to the right and the corner of my lips twitched with what should have been a smile. A long, soft-looking couch sat under a large window that opened onto a sea of cars and greenery. Thank god the sun was hidden behind the dark clouds or else I might have had to close my eyes to protect myself from the light. Lying on the couch, knocked out cold, was my mother. She rested her head on a small pillow and stretched the rest of her body out on the couch. Even though her eyes were closed, I could see that they were red and puffy and she had absolutely no make-up on.

In between myself and my mother sat my father, facing the television with his shoulders hunched. His hand had been the one I had felt. He was leaning his side against the bed I was on, resting his left arm against mine and protectively covering my hand with his. I couldn't see his face because he was turned away from me, but even from behind he looked a little messier than usual. It looked like he hadn't even tried to tame his hair that was so much like mine since it was just a mop of reddish brown curls on top of his head.

I opened my mouth to call him, but my throat was so dry that it was painful just letting the fresh air hit it. So I settled for the next best thing. I concentrated on our joined hands, holding my breath until I felt and saw my hand flip over slowly and lock itself with my father's.

Dad's expression immediately turned to surprise as he turned towards me, staring at our hands in confusion. I almost wanted to laugh. He seemed to be debating whether or not he really had just felt me move or whether he had placed our hands like that from the beginning. To convince him, I squeezed his fingers as strongly as I could, which wasn't much, but it was enough to bring his attention to my face. He stared at me for a while, doubt and relief swimming in his light blue eyes.

He didn't say a word or shout for joy, like in the movies. What he did almost broke my heart. For the first time in my life, I saw my tough, macho dad cry. He just leaned over until he was hugging me without pressing too hard and laid his forehead against my shoulder. I didn't realize he was crying until I felt his warm tears start to drop onto my hospital gown. He shook slightly, but no sound escaped his lips.

It was a couple minutes later when he composed himself and pulled away just enough to give me a little breathing room. He wiped his tears away and smiled sheepishly, letting a soft chuckle out. "Sorry. You probably already have enough problems without me soaking your clothes."

I opened my mouth again to tell him how wrong he was, but once again, all that did was send a stab of pain down my throat. There must have been something in my expression that told my dad exactly what I needed because he stood up and leaned behind the machines behind him and came back with a plastic cup of water. He put it right under my lips and directed the straw into my mouth, letting me suck in the refreshing, soothing liquid. I knew I would be able to speak now, but with that slight healing, came another source of discomfort. My head felt like it had just been hit with a basketball several times. My nose burned from the plastic tubes that ran through them. My stomach was so empty that I was sure I could fit an entire buffet line in it. But at the moment, I forgot about everything except my family, whom I had been dying to speak to for… however long I had been in that catatonic state.

"Dad," I paused, closing my mouth and gulping. I was surprised by my voice. It sounded more like a smoker's raspy voice. "I'm sorry."

Dad frowned and sat heavily on his chair, taking my hand in both of his. "Hannah? What in the world do you have to be sorry about?" He watched me with concern, a small smile of exasperation on his lips.

I let my gaze fall to a loose thread on my blanket, avoiding his sincere eyes. I decided to steer away from his question. "What happened?" Even though I had been able to regain control of myself, I still wasn't too sure about what exactly had put me in the hospital. The only thing I could remember were noises, which made no sense without any images.

The smile on dad's face was replaced with serious pursed lips. "The doctor said you might not be able to remember right away. You hit your head pretty hard, baby." He raised one of his hands to gently nudge my chin up so I had to meet his eyes. "You went on a camping trip with a couple of your friends. Claire called and told us that you guys weren't sure how long you would be out there, but there would be no cell reception. I don't know why you didn't call us to tell us, but you didn't."

Nothing of what he said sounded familiar, but I let him continue anyway. "A few day's into your trip, a bear found your camp. Claire said you and she were the only ones at the campsite and the both of you had to run for you lives. Apparently, you both climbed a tree to get away from the bear and of course, you were so panicked that you actually fell out of the tree. On your head. Again. There's just something about trees that always gets you hurt."

I knew he was referring to the last time I had climbed a tree and fallen out, giving myself a concussion. But his story was not what I was beginning to remember. I was in a house, not the woods. I wasn't with a group of people that I knew. I hadn't fallen out of a tree.

Dad startled me from my musings when he spoke again. "Hannah. You are never, ever to do this to me and your mother again. I don't care if you are an adult. You will always call us before going away for more than a day, especially if it's somewhere in the wilderness. And you are banned from ever even _thinking_ about climbing a tree again. Do you understand?"

I nodded my head slowly, licking my dry lips. "I'm really sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to, I swear," I apologized. Dad looked down at his hands, which gave me a moment to think again. I could remember the gloomy room now. How Sarah and I had been trapped for days. More and more of the past tumbled in a wave, tying everything together. Then I finally got the most important piece of information back. The leeches. They had caused all this. And Paul and the others had saved us.

There were still a few blank spaces, but I basically remembered everything. Of course my parents, and probably my friends, had been given a more realistic story. I would just have to play along with it.

A choking gasp broke me from my reverie, turning my attention back to my surroundings. I looked at my father, only to find him turned around. That's when I noticed my mother was sitting up on the couch, her hand covering her mouth while her eyes watched me widely.

"Hannah?" she whispered so softly that I had trouble hearing her. She wasn't like Dad. She was not the quiet type. She was the complete opposite. Which is exactly why her next act did not surprise me.

Her body flung itself off the couch, throwing her on top of me, but careful not to put pressure on me. She sobbed loudly, mumbling things that I could not understand through her whimpers. She was not shy about showing how emotional she was and that just made me love her a little more.

I raised my arms weakly and wrapped them around her, crying with her. I don't know why I started bawling too, but it was impossible for me to hold it in. I briefly felt Dad put his arms on the both of us, soothing us with gentle circles.

It must have been quite a while later that we both stopped and wiped our tears away, though I obviously hadn't been keeping time. Mom pulled away slightly and kissed my forehead, sitting back on the edge of my bed.

"Don't ever, ever, _ever_-"

I interrupted her quickly. "I know. I already got the lecture. I promise to never climb a tree again. In fact, I'll never even touch one again. And I'll never run off without telling you again. Promise."

Mom smiled slightly, patting my arm. "You don't know how scared we were about the possibility of losing you, Hannah. We love you too much."

I grabbed her hand with my left and squeezed my dad's tighter with my right. "I know and I will never be able to tell you just how sorry I am. This is something I'll never be able to express completely. But I love you guys too. You're my parents. Of course I love you and I would never purposefully hurt you."

They seemed satisfied with my answer and they both kissed one of my cheeks.

I looked around the room again, a little disappointed to find that someone was missing. "Um, not that I want to get rid of you guys… but…," I started, struggling with how to voice my thoughts without hurting them.

Dad saved me before I could give myself a headache. "He's in the cafeteria on the first floor. Mandy, Claire, Lance, and Quil had to drag him away to eat and get some coffee. I haven't seen him sleep in a week. If he has slept, it's only been for an hour or so."

My mother understood then what it was that I wanted. "We'll go get him for you."

They both started to get up, but I grabbed their wrists before they could walk away. "Wait. I… I don't think I can be alone. I'm sorry," I muttered, avoiding their eyes shamefully.

Mom sat back down, twining our fingers together. "You shouldn't be sorry. It's perfectly understandable. You've been alone in that head of yours for three weeks." I looked at my dad, but he just lifted my hand to place a kiss on the back of my hand and walked away with a smile.

Then what my mother had said hit me as I registered it. "T-three weeks? How is that even possible?" I asked incredulously. Sure, it had felt like forever in the dark, but I thought it was only a few days or so since I had been able to hear them.

"Yup. You won't believe how slowly three weeks can go by," she smiled sadly. She rubbed the back of my hand with her thumb, shifting her weight. "Richard came by the first week, but he had to go back to his classes. A lot of your friends have been coming every day, even if just for a few minutes. Well… except Paul. He hasn't left the hospital even once."

I smiled at my mother, which she returned with a little more enthusiasm. "I knew he was devoted, but goodness. I'm beginning to wonder if that boy could even live without you." She stopped to move a wisp of my hair that had escaped my bandage out of my face. "I'm so happy you found someone that loves you so much, Hannah. Your father has even grown to love him like a son too. Who knew that all it would take for you father to realize how much Paul loves you was for you to get hurt?" she joked, rewarding herself with a small chuckle.

"Good. Maybe now he'll let me move in with him," I teased. Mom cocked her head to the side and laughed with more feeling, finally looking like her old self.

Mom explained to me in detail about everyone that had come and what they had said. Even though I already knew, I let her talk anyway. The more she talked, the better she seemed to feel, so of course I wasn't going to take that away from her.

She was just in the middle of telling me how surprised she was when Peter brought my iPod and a speaker to play some of my favorite songs, actually acting like he missed me, when the door burst open and scared me so badly that I actually squealed, which kind of hurt.

He stood there breathing a little heavily, dressed in a faded La Push High PE shirt and cutoffs. The door swung halfway back from the force, making a gust that caused his shirt to flap a little. His hair was a complete mess, not even like his disheveled look really. Just messy. He looked older than usual, mainly because of the scruff on his chin and surrounding his mouth. It just looked like he hadn't shaven in a couple weeks, which was probably true. And once I looked up at his eyes, I couldn't bring myself to look away.

"Well," my mother said quietly, "I should go tell the rest of your friends that you're ok..." She trailed off, aware that Paul and I weren't actually paying attention to her at the moment. Later on I would feel bad for not even saying bye to her, but right then, I didn't even notice she had left.

I didn't know what to say and I wasn't even sure if I should say anything. For once in the entire time I had known Paul, I couldn't talk to him. And he didn't seem any better off than me. He still hadn't moved from the doorway and he was watching me with a myriad of emotions I couldn't decipher.

Still completely silent, Paul moved closer to me until he was at the chair my dad had been sitting in. He sort of collapsed into the chair, sitting with a loud thump. He froze for a moment before leaning forward until he was resting his forearms on my bed, his hands hovering a centimeter over my arm.

"Paul?" I asked quietly, but immediately shut my mouth when he flinched. I didn't speak again for fear of scaring him again.

His hand reached up to my face, tentatively cupping my cheek. I closed my eyes when his thumb came close to my eye. "No. Don't close them. Please don't," he whispered, moving his other hand to my other cheek.

There was no hesitation before I opened my eyes again. I was surprised when I found Paul's face so close to mine, staring right into my eyes. "I never realized this before, but I think gray's my favorite color. Just like your beautiful gray eyes," he muttered, almost like he was talking to himself.

I tried to smile reassuringly, but I wasn't sure if it worked or if it looked more like a grimace. I didn't care though. I needed to touch him. I had gone too long without feeling his warmth and it was currently the only thought in my mind.

So I moved my left hand up until it covered one of his hands, pressing him harder against my cheek. My other arm instinctively moved to his face, first to his cheek and working its way around his face. I traced his jaw line down to his chin, smiling at the new feeling of his scruffy beard. Moving up his chin, my thumb lightly swept over his lips before moving up and over his nose until I reached his hairline. Eventually, I ended up back at his cheek, wiping my thumb along his jaw.

I felt like an idiot once my eyes started to water, blurring my vision slightly. I hated it. "Paul, I… sorry," I choked out, getting mad at myself for not being able to form a coherent sentence.

Paul smiled, finally showing me a glimpse of that grin that I always craved. He closed the distance between us and kissed me lightly, using his thumbs to clear the few tears that had escaped my eyes. "Don't you dare say sorry to me. I forbid it," he said against the corner of my lips.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

Paul pulled back until we were a few inches apart again. The amusement in his eyes almost made me forget that we were in a hospital. "Did you just say sorry for saying sorry?" he asked with a half-smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Oh… yeah. S… um, oops?" I phrased the reply as a question, hoping he wouldn't notice how I had come close to saying sorry again.

A light chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. Of course he had noticed. He always noticed, even when I didn't want him to. He leaned forward again, pressing a longer kiss to my lips. "That's exactly why I love you and why I almost went crazy when I couldn't hear your voice," he laughed softly against my lips, moving to kiss my cheek.

His face became serious when he pulled back again, but this time sitting back in the chair with his arms on the bed. He sighed, "I missed you, Hannah. I don't think I've ever wanted to hurt a vampire more than I did that week. I probably would have tried to take them all on if they didn't have you right in front of me."

"Did anyone get hurt? I saw you guys had a couple deep cuts. No one got seriously hurt, did they?" I asked, berating myself for not thinking of the pack sooner. Paul watched me for a minute, making me a little nervous under his stare. Once I started to fidget, he put me out of my misery.

"God I love you." I looked at him again, wondering where in the world that had come from. Paul reached forward and locked our fingers together, raising our hands to lean his forehead against them. "You're in the hospital, just having woken up from a three week mini coma after having suffered a concussion, and you ask me if everyone else is ok?" He lifted his head a little and faced me, shaking his head. "I don't think it's possible for me to love you more," he finished, cradling my hand with both of his, careful not to touch the I.V. line that was still attached to the back of my hand.

I loved hearing him talk like this, even if I didn't think so highly of myself. At least he did. But I was still worried. "Thank you… so, about my question. Are you avoiding it because there's a bad answer?" I said slowly, hoping to get a real answer from him this time. Not that I minded the last answer.

Paul shook his head with a scoff. "Everyone's fine, except you. Werewolves heal fast."

"Oh. Good." I wasn't sure whether he was mad at me or not since he wasn't looking at me now. He was just staring at our hands with a small frown.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted to make sure no one got hurt. I mean, that _was _why I had stood up to the vampires in the first place. You know me. I prioritize my friends and family first." I stopped to slip my hand from between his, moving it to his cheek to turn him to look at me. "And I do it for the same exact reason you do it for me. I wouldn't be able to live without a single one of them."

Paul sighed and grabbed my arm in his hands, running his fingers lightly up and down my forearm. "I'm not upset with you. If you didn't act or think like that, then you wouldn't be you. It's myself I'm upset with. I can't believe the first time I actually had something important to fight for, I almost lost it. I almost lost you, Hannah. I was so stupid and…"

I shook my head as much as I could with the tubes surrounding me. "Come here. Right now," I ordered, gesturing for him to get closer. He knew from my tone not to argue, so he carefully leaned closer, until I could pull him with my own hands. I held his face directly in front of me, forcing him to meet my gaze. His sad eyes watched me helplessly.

"Don't you dare say that," I said, stealing his earlier words. "If I ever hear you say that again, I will kick your butt with my own two hands. It was only because you were there that I didn't fall to the ground immediately, so you did save me. Don't you ever think differently."

Paul was quiet for a moment. "But-"

"Just because I'm wrapped up in bandages and stuck with a hundred tubes and needles, that doesn't mean I can't stand up and punch you," I said with a completely serious expression. Just to show him how much I meant it, I moved my hand without the I.V. up to my chest, working the blanket down when he opened his mouth to protest again.

"Ok, ok. I believe you. Don't hurt yourself trying to hurt me," Paul sputtered, nudging my hand away and pulling the blanket back up to my chest.

I stared at him, furrowing my eyebrows skeptically. Paul chuckled breathlessly, leaning his forehead against mine and kissing me quickly. "You don't have to look at me like that. I was just… scared. You've become my reason for everything. I have no idea what I would ever do without you now."

Feeling a little guilty for scolding him instead of comforting him, I moved my arms up without disturbing the lines of plastic and wrapped them around his shoulders and neck. He was reluctant at first to put even a tiny bit more of his weight on me, but after another squeeze from my arms, he relented and readjusted himself so that our chests were against each other and his head was beside mine, buried in my neck.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm not going away without a fight. I love you way too much to do that," I whispered right beside his ear, holding on as tight as I could in my condition to him.

Paul didn't give any indication that he had heard me except for a sigh that seemed to say more than he could ever put into words. He knew just as well as I did that with the combined stubbornness from the both of us, we wouldn't be separated again.

I couldn't help but think about just how much my life had changed since I moved to La Push almost eight months ago while I was molded to my warm, protective werewolf. In California, I would have never believed that I could be as bold and self-confident as I was now. I would have never believed that I could find a close knit group of friends that I would do anything for, and vice versa. I would have never believed that I would have the strength to stand up to blood-sucking monsters and snobby popular girls. And I certainly wouldn't have believed you if you had told me that I would have found an amazing guy who loved me just the way I had always fantasized about in my teenage wishes.

So what if all of that had come with a couple twists and turns that not even the most creative mind could have imagined? Before I met Paul, I had prepared myself to live my life quiet, reserved, and destined to have only one friend that would talk to me in public. Life had surprised me though. Before I knew it, I had changed into a pretty cool chick with a great support system surrounding me. Before I knew it, I had morphed from the ugly caterpillar to a graceful butterfly. And to be honest, it was all thanks to the hairy werewolf in my arms.

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***sigh* I think I'm actually a little blurry-eyed. **

**Nah! I feel completely satisfied with how I did this, and hopefully you guys do too :]**

**Since it's my birthday today, why don't you leave a review as a present? It'd be a very nice present ;)**

**--Mary**


	21. Epilogue

**Well, this is it. The final chapter. **

**There were actually two scenes that I couldn't decide between for the epilogue, but one day I just kinda had an epiphany and I just started writing for this idea. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, so I finished the story on a very happy note. **

**Have fun reading guys! Savor it!**

**

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**Epilogue**

The wide metal doors opened onto an empty space, causing the both of us to giggle as if we had never seen an empty elevator before. Paul stepped into the elevator, turning around to tug me to him. I gasped mid-laugh and stumbled against him.

"Jeez. You'd think you'd be more careful now. What if I had tripped over the threshold?" I laughed, wrapping my arms tightly around him.

Paul's warm hands covered my cheeks, pulling me to look up at him. Even after all this time, his grin still had the power to make my knees shaky. "I would have caught you, of course." He pressed his lips to mine, sliding his right hand to the back of my neck at the edge of my hairline. His fingers played with the waves of my hair, moving them so they tickled my back. I had to pull away from his kiss to laugh at the sensation. But in a couple seconds, he had me trapped against him again, teasing me by purposefully creeping his fingers along the ticklish spot at the back of my neck.

We playfully fidgeted and kissed the entire ride, which actually wasn't as long as I wished it could have been. I was enjoying myself completely when the quick ding that indicated we were at our floor sounded. Paul pulled away, straightening himself out and extracting his fingers from my hair. He seemed to really like my hair today. It made me wonder if I should keep it this length from now on. Long hair did have its advantages.

When the doors started to open, Paul glanced down at me slyly. I immediately felt shivers of anticipation and anxiety down my back. That look always meant he was up to no good.

Before I even had a chance to open my mouth, Paul lunged forward and swept my legs out from under me, catching my shoulders with his other arm. He lifted me up until I was level with his chest and I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck from shock. "Paul! Are you serious? Do people even do this anymore?" I squealed as he stepped out of the elevator, grinning like a madman.

"I don't know. But now that I have an excuse to carry you, I'm gonna do it," he mused with a little shrug that surprised me. My arms instinctively clung to his shoulders and neck with the movement, though I was positive he wouldn't ever drop me.

We laughed unashamedly all the way down the hall, forgetting completely that we weren't the only people on the floor. When he stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall, he stared at it for a minute before looking down at me with a calculating expression. "What?" I asked once curiosity got the better of me.

"I'm trying to figure out how the guys in the movies open the door without dropping the girl," he stated matter-of-factly, frowning at the door as if he were trying to will it to open.

I couldn't help it. His serious expression plus the fact that he actually said that without laughing made me burst into laughter. I realized a little too late that I was laughing way too loud for it to sound anything but annoying. The second I thought that, I pursed my lips and killed my chortles.

Paul watched me with one eyebrow raised, a corner of his lips twitching with the urge to smile. "Are you ok?" he asked slowly, drawing out the words as if I were hard of hearing. I forgot all about my embarrassing laugh and grinned, swatting his shoulder with one of my hands.

"Just open the door."

"I'd love to, believe me, but the card key is in my pocket and I can't get it without letting you go."

"No. Don't put me down. I'll get it," I said quickly before he could place me back on the floor. I loosened one of my hands from around his neck and squeezed it between our bodies down to his pants, extracting the card from his pocket easily. I stretched my arm out until I could swipe the card and a little green light lit on the lock and a click sounded. Without pausing, I turned the doorknob and pushed it, leaving the door swinging in front of us.

I hadn't even moved my arm away from the door before Paul walked into the room, using his shoulder to flick a light switch along the wall and his leg to close the door behind us. For about a minute he just stood there and we both stared at the room in front of us. Then he looked down at me with a huge grin, which I reciprocated. He set me down on my feet, holding onto my arm so I wouldn't be able to step away from him.

"New strategy. Divide and conquer, then regroup. Okay?" he said excitedly, bending a little so we were level with each other.

I threw both of my hands between us, palms facing the floor. Paul was confused for about two seconds before he figured out what I was doing and he shimmied one hand between mine and placed the other on top of them. "On three. One… two…" Before I could say three, Paul leaned closer and pressed his lips to mine, lingering for awhile. I was starting to get sidetracked from our mission when he pulled back and said three before throwing our hands up and darting down a hallway behind him.

"Shout if you find something completely mind-blowing!" he called over his shoulder as I saw him disappear around a corner.

The room we had booked… well I didn't even know if I should call it a room or a house. It was basically everything you would find in a home, except fancy and shiny. After the initial shock of being alone in a huge hallway went away, I started to feel the excitement again and within thirty seconds, I was holding up the skirt of my dress and jogging into the kitchen, which was the first opening on the right.

It was about the size of our kitchen back home, which was pretty big considering we cooked in there often to feed the entire pack. Well… me and the other girls. Paul usually hid away or claimed he had to go run an errand or something whenever I mentioned everyone was coming over. April had a theory that the guys all used the same excuse and just met up to go do something manly instead of helping us cook.

Anyway, this kitchen was in tip-top shape. The metal machines and knobs all shined as if they had just been polished. The marble counter was smooth and cool, which tempted me to lay my cheek on it. It felt _amazing_ against my heated cheeks, which were due to the excitement I had been feeling all day. After I was satisfied with feeling up the counter, I moved along the edge and stopped at the corner briefly to pick up an apple from a fruit bowl. My eyes widened once I realized it was a real apple. _This is too cool!_

"I found an apple!" I yelled out in no particular direction.

I could hear his laugh even from wherever he was, which seemed to be pretty deep in the suite. "Explain to me how that's mind-blowing!" he shouted back with a chuckle.

"It's an _apple!_ There are no more words needed!"

It was quiet again for a moment and I wondered if he was going to answer back at all. While waiting, I walked out of the kitchen through another archway and into another hallway. At first I wondered if I should turn around before I got lost, but my curiosity got the better of me and I kept walking.

Then I heard Paul and I had to stop in my tracks because his voice sounded muffled and far away. "I get it! They always have _plastic_ apples at hotels!" he called as if he had just figured out the cure for cancer. I couldn't help but crack a huge smile.

"Finally! Maybe you should take a nap. It took you a while to get that one."

"Don't make me come over there. Whoa! They have the first three seasons of Friday Night Lights!" Ok, at that I absolutely _had_ to laugh. I swear Paul could be such a chick sometimes. I mean, I knew he loved football and all, but I can't say I wasn't completely surprised the day that he had caught me watching Friday Night Lights and instead of teasing me, he actually sat down next to me and asked me to catch him up to the plot. But, hey, I wasn't complaining. Now we just debated about the show and watched reruns on lazy days.

There were only three doors in this hallway and I was having the hardest time trying to decide which one I should go in first. I actually considered spinning around and going through whichever one I happened to be facing. Then I noticed the last door in the hall was open just a crack and that immediately caught my attention. Picking up my skirt again, I shuffled forward and pushed the door open with my hip.

As soon as I turned on the light, I screamed. My hand shot out to cover my mouth and stop my unnecessary scream. _Oh Mylanta… I am such a dork._ My reflection shook its head at the same moment I did, making me feel even stupider.

"Hannah? Are you all right?" I heard Paul's voice call softly.

"I'm fine! Just being an idiot!" I shouted back, dropping my hand and stepping further into the room. The mirror that covered the top half of the back wall was sort of creeping me out. I knew it was just part of the design of the room, but it seemed like a weird accessory to add. Not only had it just scared the crap out of me, but it was just… everywhere. Because I am a girl, I took a moment to look at my reflection. My make-up was still almost perfect, except for the fact that my lipstick was a bit faded and smudged now. My hair was still in the loose ringlets that swept all the way down half of my back. The part that was piled at the back of my head was starting to come apart and I debated for half a second whether to take it down or not before I decided against it. And of course, the dress. It still left me in awe every time I got a good look at it. The bust was made of intricately beaded lace, meeting with a draped bodice that fit me snugly all the way to my hips. From under the bodice a gauzy type of material overlapped the white satin that swept to the floor in a small trail. It wasn't extravagant or anything, but that was just how I wanted it. I had never imagined my wedding dress as something fluffy, covered in diamonds, and made of the finest material ever. This was just the perfect thing. I smiled when I remembered how long Mandy, Claire, and I had searched through catalogs, websites and stores before we finally found this at a small bridal shop in Sequim that Erin had told us about.

After staring at myself for way too long, I snapped out of it and reached forward, moving the drapes they had over the mirror to cover the reflections. That was pretty smart for a hotel. Then I turned around and focused my attention back to the room.

There was a door to my right that looked like it was the bathroom. I would definitely be checking that out later. In the right corner of the room there was a flat screen T.V. with a DVD player underneath it on a glass stand. On the back wall beside me a red loveseat and a gray couch occupied the corner, a small coffee table placed directly in front of them. I turned to my left and almost knocked my knee into the nightstand beside me. A weird hiss came out of my mouth, surprising me more than the nightstand had. Choosing to ignore it, I lifted my head and stared at the left wall. Another door was situated exactly in the middle, but this one, I assumed, was the closet. Speaking of clothes…

The king sized bed in the corner of the room had three suitcases thrown on top, I guessed by the bellboy. I moved to the edge of the bed and dragged the green and the brown suitcase off the bed, grunting when I realized I had underestimated their weight. Then I sat down on the red and gray bedspread, scooting up until my back was against the headboard. _I could have sworn I had only packed the green suitcase. Did Paul bring two? I only saw him packing the brown one. _

I pulled the black suitcase closer to me, feeling around for the zipper. When I finally found it, I swiped it all the way around, flipping the top over until everything in the suitcase was visible. _Oh boy. Wish I hadn't done that._

So, let me make something completely clear first. I am not a nun. No matter how many times Mandy or Sarah had teased me about it, I wasn't completely naïve or innocent. Actually, I loved the make out sessions with Paul. Sometimes I felt like I couldn't get enough of him. There were even times when I thought, _oh screw my values_, and I almost decided to finally just do it. Then again, I wasn't a two dollar hooker either. I did have standards. It wasn't like I was a hardcore Christian or anything, but my grandmother had instilled that whole 'wait-till-you're-married-to-have-sex' thing in me from the moment I started liking boys. I guess because of that, yeah, I took things really slow with Paul, and yes, I blushed when I saw lingerie at the mall or condoms at the pharmacy. It was just what came with the territory of an overprotective grandmother (even though, ironically, my mother had had me when she was pretty young).

Which was exactly why I felt like my cheeks were ready to burst from the hot blood that was pooling there. The entire suitcase was nothing but lingerie. Black lace, red silk, blue patent leather. I knew I hadn't packed this. _Oh God. Please tell me Paul didn't pack this either. _I mean, I knew he was a guy and all, but an _entire _suitcase?

I decided to try and figure out what the heck was going on, so I dove into the piles of cloth and moved them aside until I found what I had been unknowingly searching for. In the bottom right corner of the suitcase, under a plastic bag, was a brown catalog envelope. I pulled it out and quickly undid the string tie, pouring the contents out in front of me. As they fell out, I counted them, ending with seven when the last letter fell out. Some were thicker than others, some looked hastily put together, and some looked preened and perfect. I flipped a few of them over and saw names on them. _Richard. Sarah. Mandy. Peter._ Not only was I confused when I saw Peter's name, but I was suddenly suspicious too. Of what, I had no idea.

I pushed my finger under the flap and ripped across the envelope, pulling out the sheet of printer paper inside. It was written in his scrawly, this-is-stupid handwriting. Peter and I had gotten along so much better since my accident two years ago. He had stopped calling me behemoth and playing unnecessary pranks on me practically every day. I guess the accident was sort of a wake-up call for the both of us because we actually starting having normal conversations and hanging out often. Believe it or not, I even helped him with his first crush. I couldn't stop my giggle when I remembered how he had come home that day, wide-eyed and flustered. Without saying a word, he sat down next to me in the living room and stared at the television, even though I was watching some chick flick. "Hannah?" he had whispered. I had paused the movie and turned towards him, my eyebrow raised in confusion. "I think I'm in love." After that declaration, I had made him tell me every little detail and then I had scolded him for not asking her out immediately. Eventually, he got up the courage to ask her out and they went out for a couple months before he broke up with her for another girl. _I just knew he was gonna be a player with those blue eyes. _

Anyway, so we were actually pretty good friends now. We still played occasional pranks on each other and argued about a lot of things, but at least we talked in a civil manner.

I was surprised at first when I started reading his letter.

_Every time you sneeze some of your brain cells die._

"_Stewardesses" is the longest word that is typed with only the left hand._

_In Carmel, New York, a man cannot be seen in public while wearing a jacket and pants that do not match._

_It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church._

_A donkey will sink in quicksand, but a mule won't._

_It is illegal to have a sleeping donkey in your bathtub after 7pm in Oklahoma._

_A group of unicorns is called a blessing._

_In Baltimore, Maryland, it is illegal to take a lion to the movies._

My jaws were starting to hurt from trying to hold in my laughter. Here I was on the first night of my honeymoon, and Peter had written a letter filled with useless facts and stupid laws. I gotta admit, my little brother was a pain, but he had his moments.

At the bottom of the paper, he wrote, in slightly neater handwriting:

_Mandy threatened to show a home movie of me at school if I didn't write something for you. I'm not a girl, so I'm not gonna write lovey-dovey crap. I was bored and I looked up this stuff. I bet you twenty bucks you laughed at every single one of them. You're so predictable. So, yeah. I guess congrats on being married or whatever. Jesus Christ, I can hear you screaming across the hall. Oh, you just found some bridesmaid dresses or something. Well, congrats on that too. All right, I'm done. _

Ok, so Peter was officially the weirdest brother on the planet. Well, at least he made me laugh. I had almost completely forgotten about the suitcase in front of me. I folded his letter and stuck it back in its envelope, picking up the big brown envelope to shove it in there. When I opened the brown envelope, I noticed I had missed a letter that was taped to the side of it. Reaching in, I pulled it off and out, flipping it over so I could read it. Aw shoot. It said to read it first. Too late.

Sweeping the other letters into a pile, I dumped them into the brown envelope and threw it to the side, leaning back comfortably against the headboard. The other letters could wait until after this one. After opening the envelope, I pulled out the sheets of paper and began to read.

_To the future Mrs. Paul Antilla,_

_Oh wait, Mandy just reminded me that you would already be Mrs. Paul Antilla when you read this. Whatever, just ignore the future part, ok? _

_Ok, I stole the paper from Sarah. She was being immature. Anyway, so we're guessing you've seen your present if you have this letter in your hand. Sorry, but we had to. I told you that day that we went to Victoria's Secret and Fredericks that if you didn't pick out at least five outfits that you would regret it. See? You should listen to your best friend more often. Since you were too stubborn to pick more than two out (even though those two were cute) Sarah and I took the liberty of properly preparing you for your honeymoon. Don't worry, we kept you in mind the entire time. Nothing in the suitcase is too much for you. _

_Sarah again. Actually, there might be one in there that I picked that you might faint over. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Mandy wants the paper back now so_

_Sorry, Hannah. Man, you weren't kidding when you said Sarah's a perverted crazy. I would erase that last sentence, but I'm too lazy to. Back to the matter at hand though. You noticed that little plastic bag on top of this envelope, right? That is meant to be your first "outfit" for your honeymoon. And no, you will not refuse. It is the cutest little thing we saw and we had to get it for you. Don't worry, though. It's plenty sexy too. Paul won't be able to keep his hands off you. Which reminds me, you probably wanna go ahead and do the dirty with him, don't ya? All right, then. We'll leave you to it. And don't be shy! You're going to give us details when you get back!_

_Your sexy time confidantes,_

_Mandy and Sarah _

I sat there staring at the letter for about a minute, my cheeks flaming and my mouth open in surprise. It was a good thing my phone was somewhere in the suitcase on the floor or else I would have called them immediately to rant and rave. This was absolutely nuts. I couldn't believe they had teamed up to embarrass me! It was probably Mandy's idea. Sometimes, I wished Mandy still had Lance to keep her busy. Yup, you heard right. Landy was no more. At least for now. They'd been having this on again, off again relationship since high school. Usually the off times only lasted a month or maybe two, but boy did I get an earful from Mandy every time they did happen. It was usually because of something stupid too. Since Lance had went with a football scholarship to Florida, Mandy had turned into a self-conscious, paranoid teenager. Whatever. I was sure they would get back together before I got back from my honeymoon.

"Hey, I found some really cool CDs. You like Parachute, right? I think I remember you telling me that was one of your favorite bands. I guess I can put up with them, but that means I get to play some Nirvana at some point."

My body jolted from the shock and before I could think, I lunged for the suitcase and flipped the cover over quickly, laying half on the luggage. Paul stood at the doorway to the room, holding three or four CDs in his hand. He watched me with a look of suspicion, though he had a little smile on his lips.

He moved forward until he was standing beside me. "Should I even ask why you're blushing? I haven't seen you that red since the day you moved in with me and your mom gave you that bag full of condoms and birth control right in front of me," he chuckled, gesturing for me to move over with his hand. My blush grew stronger as I scooted over and thought, _he just had to bring that up again, didn't he?_

"It's nothing. What were you saying about CDs?" I asked, not too subtly trying to change the subject and get his eyes off the suitcase I was thrown over.

Once again, he was way too intuitive to not notice my nervousness. I felt his hand slip under my stomach and just when I realized what he was doing, he had already pulled out the letter I had been reading. I panicked. What the heck was I supposed to do? Did I mention I don't work well under pressure? While I silently freaked out, Paul was removing the crinkles from the paper so he could read it. Then I did the first thing that popped into my head. I jumped him.

Yeah, so I wasn't the best strategist. But, hey, it worked. Once he recovered from the initial shock of having me attack him, he played along. His lips started to move in synch with mine and his arms wrapped themselves around my waist, pulling me until I was almost on top of him. I was so proud of myself for successfully getting him to drop the letter and focus on me.

Without thinking, my hands threaded themselves in his hair and pushed him against me. I felt his hands start moving all over me, causing my skin to tingle even through the dress. Then, just when I was beginning to sink into that weird fog that clouded my thoughts when Paul and I were like this, he pulled away and rolled me off him. I'm pretty sure I heard myself whine from the loss of contact, but I couldn't be too sure.

"Wait… wait," Paul breathed, pushing himself up so he was sitting beside me now. He ran one of his hands over his face, rubbing at his temple with his thumb and forefinger. He stopped for a moment and leaned over the edge of the bed, coming back up with the letter in his hands. His breathing wasn't completely normal yet, but he seemed to have regained control of himself, which I wasn't too happy about. "I won't read this if you don't want me to, but you seemed pretty upset about it. Now, that whole distracting me thing you just pulled, I would love to continue it later, but are you sure you don't want to talk about whatever is in that suitcase?"

Why was I acting like this? He was my husband. I shouldn't be all flustered and secretive with him. Where did the bold Hannah that I had worked so hard to achieve go? I wasn't a teenager anymore. I couldn't just blush and hope that he would forget about the reason. I was a twenty year-old married woman now, damn it! I should act like one.

Pushing myself off the bed, I crawled forward until I was leaning over the suitcase, and before I could think it over, I flipped it open again. I wasn't entirely surprised when I blushed again, so I just sat back with my legs crossed and stared at the contents of that stupid suitcase.

"That's it. The letter is from Mandy and Sarah. All it basically says is to put these things to good use. You can read it if you want to, but it's just a bunch of girly teasing," I sighed, fiddling with the end of my dress. Just because I had made a promise to stop being so dumb didn't mean I wasn't nervous.

The next thing I knew, I was pressed up against Paul's chest and he was kissing the top of my head, breathing in my hair. "Please don't be scared, Hannah. Just do whatever you're comfortable with. I won't force you to do anything that you're not a hundred percent sure about. And forget Mandy and Sarah's expectations. All that matters is your own."

I breathed in his scent and pulled back a bit so I could see his face. "But… isn't that the whole point of a honeymoon?" And why was he so ok with not doing anything? I know I shouldn't be feeling frustrated because he was being so sweet, but it just seemed like he was a little too ok with this. Hadn't he looked at the suitcase?

As if he had read my thoughts, he grinned widely and said, "Who cares? I'm not saying that I'm against it or anything. I mean, I'm a guy and there's a suitcase full of sexy lingerie in front of me and I have my new gorgeous wife who just happens to be the perfect size for it. So, yeah, I want you. But I've wanted you since the first day I met you. I'm pretty sure I've got the patience and control of a priest now, so I can wait until _you're_ sure you're ready."

I felt a little guilty after he was done. It made me think about _why_ he would have such amazing patience and control. Then I realized that Paul had never, ever pressured me into anything before. And not just that kind of stuff either. Like when I couldn't decide on what college to go to after I graduated. I'd been accepted to Washington State, Dartmouth, Berkeley (though it was just as a joke that I had even applied), and Peninsula College and I remember just sitting in my room staring at all of the acceptance packets. Dartmouth had been my goal for my entire high school career. I hadn't ever really thought about any other college until my guidance counselor had forced me to at least have three options. Peninsula College had been a last minute addition and I will admit that it was solely for the reason that it was only an hour and a half away from La Push, which meant I wouldn't have to move. Berkeley was suggested by my father as a joke, but when I couldn't decide on another college, I applied.

When I'd told Paul about the college dilemma, all he'd said was that he wouldn't try to influence my choice in the least and that if he had to, he would pay for my plane tickets or gas to visit every weekend. After that, there wasn't really a choice. I went with Peninsula College. Some people thought it was crazy that I had passed up Dartmouth for PC, but honestly, it didn't hold the same appeal it had to me four years before.

I could probably come up with at least ten other examples of Paul letting me do my own thing. Of course, there were times when he just couldn't hold his opinion in and we'd end up arguing over something. Actually, we argued quite a bit. But it wasn't anything like Mandy and Lance. We always made up and it never escalated past Paul shaking and realizing he had to calm down before he exploded. He had only changed once in the entire time I'd lived with him and that had been soon after I'd moved in with him the summer after I'd graduated. It was only a couple months after the whole being-put-in-a-hospital thing and Paul had been excessively protective up until then. I had said something about going camping with Mandy (whom I had forced to go with me), Erin, and Claire. And I really meant _camping _this time_._ Paul had gone berserk when I'd told him and he flat out refused to let me go. We'd argued back and forth about it for awhile until I had yelled something about how I wasn't his little sister and he couldn't force me to stay home. Next thing I knew, he'd broken one of the new dining room chairs and was flying out of a hole in the wall as a huge, silver wolf. But he hadn't hurt me. He never had and I knew he never would.

I ended up going camping anyway. He was completely paranoid the entire time and when I came back a week later, he wouldn't let me leave his side for the whole day. Thank God that a couple months later someone was able to convince him that he needed to relax a little about the whole 'must-protect-Hannah' thing. She was… well, let's just say I wasn't opposed to _all_ vampires anymore.

After spending a few minutes going through that thought process, I was set on a goal that I was determined to get to. It was such a relief to not be so unsettled anymore. All I felt was a surge of yearning.

I pushed slightly against Paul's chest and he let me go immediately, understanding my movement. Sitting back up on my knees, I reached forward into the suitcase, tugging out the plastic bag that Mandy and Sarah had mentioned in their letter. Then, before Paul could understand what I was going to do, I climbed over his legs and dropped off the bed, holding up my skirt so there would be no chance of me falling. Before turning away from the bed, I kissed Paul three times, lingering on the last one just a bit. His eyes clearly expressed his confusion, but he would find out my motives soon enough.

Then I turned around and walked to the bathroom, a small smile planted on my face. Yeah, I should have been scared out of my mind. Or blushing like a little school girl. But I knew that everything would be fine. This was only the beginning, and I planned on starting it off with a bang.

Oops. No pun intended.

* * *

**Ok, I have to brag a bit. That last line was just genius :D**

**Anyway, it was great getting so many reviews from all of you guys! All of you totally made this so much more exciting. I love you guys!**

**--Mary**

**P.S. One of my friends is actually going to write a sort-of sequel for this story. It won't be completely centered on Hannah and Paul, but they will be major characters. It's supposed to be set a couple of months after the hospital, so you'll get to find out some of what happened in those years. I'll make an author's note or something when she posts it and you can check it out if you want to. :]**


	22. AN

**A/N**

Hey guys. So about that sorta sequel (hehe, my autocorrect just changed it to 'sexual.' Yes, I'm immature), my friend's already posted the first chapter. Remember, it is not centered completely on Hannah and Paul, but they play pretty big parts.

It's called **_Dans Les Yeux du Spectateur_** (which I just translated on the internet! Means 'In the Eyes of the Spectator') and it's under my favorites. Now go on and read and review! Please and thank you :D

Oh, and thanks for the reviews on the epilogue everyone! I'm glad I satisfied your Paul needs :]

-Mary


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